


Blizzard Bedfellows

by magicstorm101



Category: Sonic Boom (Cartoon), Sonic the Hedgehog - All Media Types
Genre: Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Fluff and Smut, Friends to Lovers, Grinding, Heavy Petting, Isolation, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-08-02
Updated: 2020-09-23
Packaged: 2021-03-06 02:14:46
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 8
Words: 21,294
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25675681
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/magicstorm101/pseuds/magicstorm101
Summary: When a rare blizzard takes over the island, Sonic is on the run to make sure a certain angry loaner is safe and sound.Y-you know, because...uh that's what heroes do.
Relationships: Shadow the Hedgehog/Sonic the Hedgehog
Comments: 56
Kudos: 488





	1. Its Cold Outside...

**Author's Note:**

> I dont know how long this will be (not as long as Rose Drops though holy SHIT that was long) but im writing this for several reasons!
> 
> I dont see a lot of boom content, I've never played with boom sonadow before, and its sort of a gift for @candyypirate on Twitter! They love boom sonadow so much (and rightyfully so *-sob-*)
> 
> This is kind of an experiment with this fresh dynamic, so i apologize if their Boom counterparts aren't entirely close to canon at times.
> 
> Hmu on Twitter~  
> [Twitter; Magicstorm101](https://mobile.twitter.com/magicstorm101)
> 
> [JoinA Sonadow Discord?](https://discord.gg/UNnYWxv54G)

"Wow…" Sonic breathed.

"It's really comin' down isn't it?"

Tails glanced up from the circuit board he was tinkering with and scrunched his nose at the harsh wind outside.

"Gosh, is it still snowing?" The kit huffed.

"We're gonna be stuck inside a lot longer than usual."

Sonic nodded absently, eyes trained on the window as wisps of snow covered the island in a sea of white. Very rarely did they experience snowstorms in such a tropical climate, even in Winter. However various news stations reported that a blizzard from far North was coming their way this year, and for everyone to prepare accordingly. Sonic dragged his feet as usual when it came to getting work done, so Amy took preparations into her own hands, helping the gang gather provisions since they would be indoors for most of the season. 

Given that some of them would slip into hibernation in the cold months--Sonic in particular-- they all agreed to stay close by. A simple tactic to alert each other in case Eggman decided to man an attack on the village.

It was the same arrangement every year; Sticks would stay at Amy's house, Knuckles was somewhere nearby in one of his many 'burrows', and Sonic and Tails lived together already. Everyone was nearby and could be reached at a moment's notice.

Well...almost everyone.

Sonic grimaced as a particularly harsh gust of wind rattled the glass windows.

"I wonder if he's okay…"

"If 'who' is okay?"

The hero jolted at the question, inwardly cursing himself for saying it out loud.

"Uh…I said if 'they're' okay. You know, e-everyone? Because of the storm happening." 

Tails squinted in his direction, clearly not buying his story.

"I could've sworn you said 'he'--"

"You probably couldn't hear me because of all that fluff you got coming out the wazoo, buddy." He replied as he reached over and pulled the fox's ear.

"Ugh, don't remind me…" Tails groaned, trying his best to smooth out his frazzled fur. "Everytime my winter coat comes in I end up looking like a giant cotton ball…"

"Hah, yeah." Sonic laughed nervously, thankful he was able to force a change in topic. For some reason, he felt as if he couldn't tell his brother about what was on his mind.

He couldn't tell him he was thinking about Shadow.

The strange hedgehog had been a pain to deal with in the past, especially since Eggman was always willing to exploit his gullible nature. However, despite Shadow's troublesome behavior, Sonic figured his main problem was just that he was lonely. Living in the forest huddled in a cave didn't seem like a very enjoyable existence. Plus there was still so much they didn't know about him. 

When Sonic originally asked Shadow to join the team, the dark hedgehog immediately rejected his offer. He expected as much, and left the issue alone after that. What he didn't expect was for Shadow to be waiting outside of his house the very next day. The hero had woken up early for a morning run and found him standing outside the door, tensed and alert.

"What do you want, Shadow?" Sonic sighed in exasperation.

"If you're looking for another fight can we do it in like...three hours from now?"

"...Only call me when you need me…"

"Wait, huh?"

Shadow then teleported away, leaving the blue hero completely dumbfounded. Though Sonic was pretty sure he heard the word 'loser' mumbled somewhere at the end before he left.

Sure enough, Shadow was a hedgehog of his word, and came to aid Sonic and his friends whenever they asked for his assistance. He was pretty cordial for the most part, and kept insults and snide comments to a minimum. Though he always left immediately after their battles. 

Fighting side by side without so much as a goodbye felt uncomfortable, and Amy voiced many times that she was curious about what his true motives were for helping them. The idea had crossed Sonic's mind as well; though despite their past encounters he didn't think Shadow was up to anything sinister.

After their last successful mission, the hero decided to try and make peace by inviting Shadow to eat with them in the plaza. 

"Why the _hell_ would I ever want to do that?" 

"Because that's what teammates do, duh." Sonic replied, hoping he would take the hint. 

Something flashed in Shadow's eyes but it went away just as quickly.

"I'm _not_ one of your little teammates. Don't forget that."

"What? Ok, so then why--"

The dark hedgehog blipped out of existence before he could finish, much to Sonic's annoyance. He growled under his breath and kicked at the sand, a part of him considering chasing Shadow down.

"Ugh! Are you kidding me right now!?"

"I'm pretty sure he's not, cuz you know, he's gone." Knuckles replied, stepping up behind him.

Amy sighed loudly and placed a hand on her hip. For some reason the gesture irritated Sonic even more, already aware of what she was going to say.

"Don't worry yourself too much about him, Sonic. He's a strange guy; maybe he's just sick of Eggman like the rest of us. But it's clear he doesn't want to be our friend. Which is fine by me."

The hero shrugged, green eyes glancing back at the spot Shadow had been moments ago. There was so much he wanted to say right then, but he couldn't find the right words. Frustrated, Sonic shook his head and walked off toward the plaza. He was far too angry to think about it anymore.

"Yeah, Whatever." He sighed.

"Just forget it."

For a few weeks after that Sonic didn't call for Shadow's assistance, still unsure of how to go about things after that exchange they had. In truth, the hero never needed his help in the past either; he just wanted him to join the group. However, his friends didn't seem particularly bothered by Shadow's absence. If anything they seemed relieved that he wasn't around anymore, given his unpleasant attitude. But Sonic didn't share the same sentiment.

For some reason he just couldn't let it go.

Now that it was snowing and a blizzard was well on its way to the island, he was even more concerned about Shadow than he cared to admit. As far as he knew the guy lived in a cave way out of the village, and if they seriously needed his help he wouldn't get there in time.

He was also out there in that cave in one of the coldest snowstorms they've ever had…

"Yo, Tails uh...I'm gonna go out for a bit."

The kit snorted and gestured out the window.

"You're gonna go out in that? Seriously?"

"I'm just going to make sure...everyone in town is okay! You know, before I settle in. I might check out the other villages on the island too…and maybe some caves...you know, just to be thorough!"

Tails tilted his head, curious.

"You sure you don't wanna wait until the snow stops at least? I know that winter makes you guys kind of low energy and sluggish--"

"If I get too tired I'll just stay the night at an inn or something. I'm Sonic the hedgehog, remember? I'm not gonna die from a blizzard. It's totally not a big deal."

For a few seconds the fox eyed his brother, still unsure about his reason for suddenly wanting to leave. Though he still had a lot of work to get done and Sonic could get antsy once he was inside too long.

"Sure dude, you do you. Don't come crying to me if you get frozen out there." 

"Hah! as if. Don't wait up for me, okay? I'll be back in a few...days."

"Yeah, yeah." Tails chuckled and reached for a screwdriver on the desk before stopping short, his brother's words taking a moment to sink in. He whipped back around to the window to find the glass pushed open and Sonic was nowhere in sight.

"W-wait, did he say _days?_ " 

  
  
  



	2. Thin Ice

Sonic winced at the wind buffeting his sensitive ears as he raced through the snowy landscape. The storm was getting worse now, its thick fog and endless snowfall making it harder for him to find his way around. Despite using 'hero work' as an excuse to go visit Shadow, Sonic did stop by a few villages to check on people along the way after realizing how bad the blizzard was getting.

Some of the villagers would offer him clothing, food and other things to help him warm up before he moved on. They were quite worried about the blue hedgehog running around in a blizzard without any protection. Sonic insisted that these items would only slow him down, but after some coaxing he decided to hang on to a few of them. They were free after all, and he couldn't wear every sweater they gave him. Perhaps Shadow could use one of them. Did he even _have_ winter clothes? Or money?

Sonic was beginning to realize he really didn't know a thing about this guy. 

All the more reason to stick around for a few days and keep an eye on him. Well...to make sure he doesn't die out here, of course. After all, what kind of hero lets an ally die in a blizzard? Not Sonic, that's who.

So, that's why asking if anyone just _happened_ to see Shadow around anywhere, was totally justified. Absolutely.

Luckily, a few villagers mentioned spying him lurking in the canyon valleys toward the other side of the island. Sonic was a little surprised to hear that Shadow had traveled that far from his main cave in the forest, but at the very least he figured it was worth checking out.

You know, in case he needed help.

* * *

* * *

By the time Sonic actually made it to the canyon, he was _horribly_ exhausted. The storm had picked up considerably now, and his legs ached after pushing through several feet of icy snow. Briefly he considered turning back, but ultimately decided against it. If Shadow was out here on his own every year, Sonic could easily do the same, right? But this blizzard was something different entirely, so maybe Shadow wasn't doing so well. 

He better find him as soon as possible.

Shrugging on one of the jackets and tucking the supplies under his arm, Sonic jogged briskly through the valley. The winds whistled loudly in the tall cliffs and whipped up snow violently around him, making it hard to keep going at such a steady pace. The blue hedgehog wanted to dash through the storm at full speed but he was running on empty as it was, and he couldn't afford to push himself any further. Thankfully, the landscape was primarily rock formations and no one else lived out here so Sonic was able to navigate through the area safely.

Tucked into a small alcove in the rocks, the hero spotted a faint light shining through the snowstorm. On closer inspection, Sonic realized the light was coming from a campfire burning in the narrow entrance. Relieved, he picked up speed, eager to get out of the cold and sit beside a warm fire to get the feeling back into his legs.

It was possible Shadow was in there as well, but Sonic didn't want to focus too much on that part. Or the fluttering in his chest at the thought of seeing him again after so long. 

Yeah, the cold was _definitely_ getting to him now.

"Helloooo?" He called loudly, stopping just outside the mouth of the cave. Beyond the fire not much could be seen; the cave floor sloped downward and was swallowed up completely in darkness. Sonic frowned, slightly concerned. If someone was in there, he couldn't see them from where he was standing.

"Anyone in here? Maybe some angry hedgehog hermits?" 

No answer.

"Looks like the coast is clear. Anyway, it's not like this fire just miraculously made itself, so I guess someone should be coming back..." Sonic mused as he stepped inside.

Once he was certain the cave was empty, the hero sat down and placed his supplies on the floor in front of him. He took a moment to dig through them and see exactly what the villagers had given him; four sweaters, a couple of scarves, some snacks, and a liter of his favorite off-brand soda that he definitely was not gonna share. 

Sonic smiled and chose a candy bar from the pile before settling down near the open fire. He hummed softly as the heat from the gentle flames warmed his body and sent a tingle through his aching limbs. Now that he was in the cave properly he could make out a small pile of furs stacked against the back wall further down, and a few burlap sacks he was too lazy to investigate. At least it confirmed that someone was squatting here and was probably coming back very soon. Hopefully it was Shadow and not some crazy loaner.

"Heh, what's the difference though, am I right?" Sonic snorted finishing off the candy bar.

"And...I'm talking to myself again. Nice. Maybe I just need to chill."

The blue hedgehog sighed deeply and leaned back onto the sandy cave floor, trying to get comfortable. Sonic figured he shouldn't take a nap just yet, considering he was in a strange cave all alone and couldn't confirm if this place belonged to his rival or not. However he was still exhausted from running all over the place, not to mention the effects of the cold weather were starting to catch up to him. Normally during the winter, he would sleep for days in hibernation mode and Tails would occasionally wake him up to eat before ushering him back to bed. Just thinking about sleeping was making him drowsy, blue lids lowering as he turned on his side and scooted closer toward the small fire.

"Five minutes couldn't hurt…" He drawled.

"Maybe ten, or twenty…."

* * *

* * *

"Get up, fool." A deep voice ordered somewhere above him. 

Sonic whined and turned away from the sound, trying his best to ignore it and get back to sleep. The fire had long since gone out and he was freezing, but Sonic was determined to get back to sleep. Something hard jabbed him in his back and he was suddenly alert, scrambling away from whatever had attacked him.

"Ow! What the hell--!?" He growled and skidded back on the sandy floor, bleary green eyes trying to focus on the dark figure in front of him. 

"What are you doing in my cave, hedgehog?" 

"Shadow…?" He rubbed his eyes and squinted.

"Answer me. Now."

"Yeah, that's...Shadow....ugh."

Sonic spied his rival's leg coming towards him out of the corner of his eye and caught it just before the shoe collided with his side again. Shadow growled and tried to pull his leg away but the hero was fully awake now, and held on to it tightly.

"Can you stop kicking me for like five minutes and let me talk?"

"Never."

"Well I guess I'm just gonna keep this leg then, huh?"

Red eyes narrowed in irritation and Shadow relaxed his body a little, realizing that he was in a precarious situation. Not to mention he couldn't properly kick him in this position. Sonic eventually let him go, his anger fading a bit as he watched his rival for any sudden movements. It seemed he had decided not to attack him anymore. For now.

"Why. Are you. In my cave." Shadow growled.

"I came. To check on you. You doofus."

"Check on me? I don't need you monitoring my every movement. I can take care of myself."

"Uh huh. Is that why you're in a cave all the time?"

"I want to be _alone_ , that's why. Now get out of my cave."

"Fine, fine." Sonic huffed, crossing his arms. 

"I only came to drop off some supplies for you and make sure you didn't die but _whatever,_ if you're gonna be like that I guess I'll go home."

A rare smile graced Shadow's muzzle, and there was something about it that Sonic really didn't like.

"Fat chance of that happening."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"You're stuck out here, dumbass."

He scoffed, getting to his feet.

"Okay, and what's _that_ supposed to mean?"

"It means good luck trying to escape the canyon now, hedgehog." Shadow sneered pushing past him as he walked further into the cave.

"The valley entrance is blocked off by snow right now."

"Uh, that's bullshit, I literally just came through there ten minutes agoooo…oh no." Sonic clamped his mouth shut as his gaze drifted outside the cave, remembering very clearly that he came through the canyon around noon.

It was pitch black outside now. 

Without another word, Sonic dashed outside, ignoring the snow and wind biting violently at his face as he ran. He couldn't be trapped here, it hadn't snowed that much, right? Shadow was messing with him, he had to be, there's no way an entire canyon could be blocked off by….

The hero stopped short, nearly colliding with a wall of tightly packed snow blocking the valley entrance. Sonic blinked rapidly, eyes trailing up as far as he could see to figure out where this giant mound could have possibly came from. He backed up to get a better view and realized with dismay that one of the tall canyon walls sloped downward at an odd angle,causing snow to pile up several feet against the one across from it. The pile was so high that it nearly reached the top of the plateau overhead.

His stomach sank at the realization that this much snow couldn't have happened in just a few hours. He must have been out for at least a day or two.

Sonic curled into a ball and attempted to spin dash his way through the gigantic pile, only to get stuck a few inches in. He grumbled to himself and tried to uncurl his body, the snow making its way into his quills and chilling him to the bone as he struggled. Finally Sonic was able to break free and fell back panting heavily, his energy slowly draining away from that attempt alone. He laid on the ground, staring up at the cloudy sky and tried to recall if any of the other canyon paths had alternate exits. Unfortunately, he remembered they all began and ended at the main valley entrance. Sonic huffed in irritation, watching his breath billow out above him in the cold air.

There really was no way of getting out of here.

Shadow sneered as he heard the blue hedgehog skid to a stop outside the mouth of the cave. He really was not in the mood for this right now.

"Shadow!"

"Go away, fool!"

"Yeah I _would_ but that isn't an option right now is it?" Sonic shouted. He could barely make out two red eyes glaring at him through the darkness as he peered deeper inside.

"You think you can be a pal and teleport me out of the canyon since you want me to leave so bad?"

The eyes disappeared, but he could hear Shadow moving around.

"No."

"What? Why not?"

"Why can't you just _run_ out of here?"

"Because it's cold as hell right now and I don't have enough energy to break through the-- oh." Sonic paused.

"You're...too weak to use your teleportation, right?"

"Watch who you're calling ' _weak',_ hedgehog. I am _not_ weak."

"Whatever. Ugh….I guess I'm stuck in this place now."

A low chuckle sounded somewhere from the back of the cave.

"What a shame.~" Shadow replied, his tone dripping with amusement.

"You... _do_ realize this also means you're stuck with me now, right dude?"

Silence.

"Get out."

Sonic noticed the fire had been lit again in his absence and sat beside it, his back to the inner cave. 

"No way man, it's freezing and I don't have the stamina to wander around until I find some other cave that may not even be out there."

Again, silence.

He craned his head and squinted, looking around until he met Shadow's eyes again.

"....so, what are the chances you'll let me come down there with you so I don't have to deal with all this wind up here?"

"Fuck around and find out."

Sonic scowled and turned back around, laying down on his side.

"Asshole…" He muttered under his breath.

This wasn't exactly the kind of situation Sonic had been hoping for when he went to go find his rival. If anything, he was starting to regret coming all the way out here for him. Shadow was clearly doing alright on his own and didn't want his help.

The hero gathered the clothing he brought over into a makeshift pillow, pausing for a moment once he noticed one of the jackets were missing. A quick glance at his snack supply also showed something was amiss. A bag of chips was gone and his soda had been opened but thankfully, the culprit had only taken a few sips. Sonic snorted a little at his favorite drink being touched, but honestly he wasn't too bothered by it. He did bring the supplies to share after all, and Shadow could have eaten and drank everything he brought if he really wanted to.

Sonic laid down and curled up next to the fire as he snuggled into his jacket, soaking up the warmth of the flames.

Maybe Shadow really needed his help out here after all.


	3. Ice Flow

"Get up, loser."

"Mmmhn…"

Shadow kicked him a little.

"Get _up._ "

"Uggghhhhh….what is it, Tails…?" Sonic groaned and placed a hand over his face. Shadow grimaced at being mistaken for the fox kit and squatting down low in front of the hero to pull roughly on a blue ear.

"Ow! Ow! Fuck-- let go!"

"I am _not_ that pathetic little brother of yours."

"Uh yeah, I can see that, you asshole!" Sonic spat as he swatted Shadow's hand away. Tired green eyes squinted at the bright snow all around him, unable to focus.

"Where am I…?"

"At least _try_ to remember the fact you're ruining my entire winter, hedgehog."

"What?"

"You're in my cave. In the canyon."

Suddenly the hero shot up, realizing that the blizzard had passed and was replaced with a light snowy drizzle.

"Right, I forgot. I'm stuck in here…." He wanted to say _'with you'_ but the last thing Sonic needed was a fist fight so early in the morning.

"Why did you wake me up…? You know the whole point of hibernation is to 'hibernate' right?"

"We're going fishing."

"Pft, a fishing trip? When did you become my stepdad?"

Shadow growled at him before tossing a thin fishing pole in his direction. Sonic wasn't able to catch it before it clattered to the ground, but his rival didn't seem to care.

"We're going ice fishing because I need to stock up on food, and I'm not giving you anything I catch because it's _mine_. I'm bringing you along so you can catch your own meal. I don't need you dying of starvation in my cave."

"Ah, the old 'teach a man to fish' thing huh? Alright, that seems fair. We're going back to sleep after this right? You're not gonna wake me up unless it's important?"

Shadow rolled his eyes and walked down one of the narrow valley paths.

"Catch a fish. After that, do what you want."

* * *

* * *

Shadow led him to a tall waterfall that flowed over the canyon walls into a large clear pool. Thick scrubby bushes were clustered around the water's edge, their branches heavy with fresh snow. The waterfall itself was frozen solid, a white crystalized form connecting to the sheet of ice covering the pool below. Sonic noticed several holes had been cut into the ice near the shore.

"This is where you've been getting fish from?" He asked, tapping its clear surface with his shoe.

"You do realize that if you stayed in the forest, you could fish from the ocean right? The one that _doesn't_ freeze over? Also we wouldn't be trapped in here--"

" _We_ aren't trapped. You are. I planned on staying out here, far away from annoying meddlers like you. Now...just shut up and fish. I've already cut the holes."

"Fine, fine, whatever…" Sonic sighed as he fiddled with his fishing rod. It looked fairly simple; some string tied to a carved wooden rod with a hook at the end. It appeared to be handmade, along with a strange brown mass attached to the end of the hook instead of a worm.

"Uh…what is--"

"Bait."

"Right...I'll just take your word for it."

Whatever it was Sonic really didn't want to touch it, so he was thankful Shadow had already baited the hook beforehand. 

Said hedgehog had seated himself by the pool, his fishing line already thrown into one of the holes in the ice. The hero shrugged and settled down a few inches away and swung his line as well, letting out a tiny 'yes!' when he landed a hole on his first try.

Shadow rolled his eyes but said nothing more, turning his attention to the fishing hole in front of him.

It had been quiet for several minutes, the two hedgehogs sitting side by side as they waited patiently for results. Sonic wasn't a fan of awkward silence, especially for this long, so he decided to think of a topic to break the ice. He spared a glance over at his rival and noticed he was still wearing one of the gifted sweaters; a bright green sweater with an obnoxiously large Christmas tree on the front. He smiled at the contrast between the dark, brooding hedgehog and the bright happy outfit. 

"What."

Sonic blinked, unaware he had been staring at Shadow for a long time.

"Nothin'. You just look like a dork in that sweater."

"Shut up."

"I'm glad you're at least wearing it though, I did bring all that junk here for you. Well, except the soda. That was mine."

Shadow looked away from the ice and gave the hero a sideways glance.

"Why?"

"Because it's the best soda? Like ever?"

"Why did you bring me things, idiot."

"Oh…well..." Sonic paused. 

"Because, you know, you're a teammate."

He waited for a minute to gauge Shadow's reaction before continuing. His rival merely looked away, red eyes focused on the fishing line once again.

"I'm a hero after all, I wouldn't feel right leaving you out here by yourself in a blizzard even if you were fine."

"So this was a pity visit. For you and your ego. Typical."

"No, I just-- _whoa!_ " Sonic jolted forward, just barely hanging on to his fishing rod. The line at the other end was waving around frantically and cracked the edges of the ice hole. The hero spotted something large swimming under the surface and pulled harder, unable to get traction in the snow.

"Don't let the rod snap!" Shadow hissed coming up beside him. He placed his hands over Sonic's and pulled hard as the pole began to bend downward. The force of their combined strength sent the fish through the ice and into the air, the backfire of its release causing both hedgehogs to fall backwards on top of each other. Sonic's eyes went wide in amazement as he looked over the fish he had caught, its large wet body flopping in the snow. It was bigger than both of them put together! 

"Holy shit...!" He exclaimed, breathing heavily from the exertion.

"I am awesome at fishing! Haha, I bet you never…!" Sonic trailed off, suddenly very aware that his rival was sprawled out on top of him.

Shadow was panting as well, the strain of doing such an activity while he so low on energy really taking its toll on him too. He rested his head on Sonic's chest, his gaze still trained on their catch but not moving toward it just yet. Shadow's muzzle was flushed a dark pink as he breathed out slowly, his breath billowing in the cold air. Peach lips moved and Sonic could see fangs hidden away that he hadn't noticed before. Red hooded eyes flickered toward him and the hero tensed. He had been in various wrestling matches with his rival before and this wasn't the first time they've been so close to each other but...this situation felt….

"What?" Sonic replied, his brain taking a second to process that Shadow had said something. The dark hedgehog pushed up off of him and got to his feet.

"I said, help me carry up this thing." 

"O-oh yeah, duh." Sonic sputtered nervously. He wondered if Shadow noticed it at all. 

"Of course…" 

* * *

On the way back to the cave the hedgehogs got into a scuffle about the fish, after Sonic insisting that it was only fair he kept his catch. Shadow said he wasn't going to share what _he_ caught, so why should he have to share his own catch? This went on for several minutes until Sonic realized he had no idea how to prepare and store meat from a fish this large at all. He decided that he would give his rival half of it if he did the hard work of cooking it and slicing it up for storing.

Shadow agreed, though not without threatening to throw the blue hero into the ocean first.

Once they made it back, Shadow got to work immediately and strung up their catch in the entrance. The fish was dead by now, so he had to work quickly and get it on ice before the meat spoiled. Sonic relaxed on the other side of the cave entrance, opening a bag of chips from his snacks as he watched Shadow work.

"Get a knife out of my toolbox." His rival ordered suddenly. 

"You could always _ask_ me to do something, ya know." 

"Do you want to eat or not?"

"Ugh, okay, where's your toolbox, Asshole?"

"Deeper in the cave, beside my bed. The box is wooden."

Sonic scoffed, a wry smile spreading across his face.

"Wow, you're actually letting me into your secret lair? What an honor--"

"Just go, you idiot, I don't have all day!"

"Alright jeez. Killjoy."

Sonic got to his feet and slid down to the lower portion of the cave. He was pleasantly surprised at how warm it was down there, far away from the bitter wind and snow. There wasn't much to look at in terms of decor, but Shadow had obviously collected a fair amount of supplies. The burlap sacks were filled with fruits, rice, and various small plants tucked into the corner. A few dried meats were laid out on a stone slab, though there definitely wasn't enough to last more than a day. 

Sonic made his way over to Shadow's bed, which was nothing more than a collection of pelts and feathers fashioned into a makeshift nest. It looked far more comfortable than camping in front of the fire...

"Do you have it or what?"

"Yeah yeah, I got it, stop nagging me!" Sonic replied, crouching near the wooden box and pulling out a knife. He walked back toward the fire and tossed the knife in Shadow's direction, the dark hedgehog catching it expertly by the blade without looking away from his work.

"Good. I can get started. This should last us for a week or so. Maybe longer if this were just for me, but that's not really a luxury I have right now, is it?"

Sonic shrugged, suddenly feeling a tad guilty.

"Yeah, haha...sorry about that. I guess you really didn't need me to come out here after all, huh?"

"No, I didn't. But…" Shadow paused and sliced a thin line down the belly of the fish. He hesitated with the knife in his hand for a few seconds, seeming unable to organize his thoughts.

"But…?"

"I enjoyed the chips and the soda."

"Ah," Sonic chuckled. He figured that was the closest he was going to get to a 'Thank You' today.

"Good. You're welcome. You can have some more if you want, I uh, brought them for you after all. Just leave me some soda okay?"

His rival shrugged, continuing his work.

"Whatever." 

* * *

  
  


"Oh," Shadow breathed.

"What?"

"It's not terrible."

"Yup," Sonic replied around a mouthful of fish.

"I tried not to make it terrible, haha."

Shadow shrugged and continued to eat his share, reluctant to offer the hero any more praise. In reality, he was surprised the fish was better than anything he had ever made himself.

After he had finished dividing up their catch and storing the rest for later, Sonic offered to cook for them tonight. Shadow was a little wary of letting someone else cook for him, but he was fairly tired after going on their fishing trip. He allowed Sonic to use some of the spices in the cave storage and watched closely over his shoulder just in case the blue idiot got any funny ideas. Sonic didn't seem to mind it; on the contrary he seemed eager to show off his abilities. 

"Sooo...you really like it?" Sonic asked as he skewed another fillet. The hero could never get enough praise it seemed. Shadow figured he would indulge it for now.

"Yes." He sighed, making it quite obvious how annoyed he was. If Sonic noticed he didn't seem too bothered by it, lips curved in that insufferable cocky grin.

"Sticks taught me how to make it."

"The badger woman?"

"Yeah. She's good at the whole jungle survivalist thing. Sometimes she cooks for us too."

"I assumed you were always eating at that greasy food place because you had no taste. That and I suspected you couldn't hold a frying pan to save your life."

Sonic rolled his eyes, still smiling.

"I mean, you're not wrong, but I appreciate a good home-cooked meal now and then. Especially if I can make it myself, which is rare."

He admitted a fault to him. That was...unusual.

"Are you always so candid and vulnerable with your little friends?" Shadow asked flatly.

"What? Er...I guess? They all know I can't cook for shit half the time. It's why Amy does most of it."

"And you would...openly admit one of your flaws to me?"

"I'm just making conversation; it's normal to share facts about yourself sometimes. Unless you're planning to use my inability to make a soufflé against me somehow, I really don't care if you know I'm a shitty cook." 

"Hmn…" Shadow hummed thoughtfully, as he put another fillet into the campfire. He wasn't sure why, but knowing that detail about his rival felt significant somehow.

"Sonic?" 

"Yeah?"

"....I can't read."

"O-oh yeah...?" Sonic replied, a hint of confusion evident in his voice. He looked up from his meal to ask him more about it, but froze once he realized what just happened.

The one and only Shadow the hedgehog, openly admitted he had a flaw. 

And he admitted it to _him._

The urge to smile again tugged at the corners of Sonic's mouth but he did his best to hide it; the last thing he wanted was for Shadow to think he was making fun of him after that. He was actually making an attempt to be...friendly.

"That's okay, dude." 

* * *

* * *

The weather later that night was horribly windy, to the point Sonic thought he was going to lose his mind. Bitter air swirled around the cave entrance, making it impossible for him to keep the campfire burning. He had lit it several times, but every spark he managed to get going was instantly blown out and he was freezing his tail off at this point.

"Uuughhhh….!" He growled flinging the sticks away in frustration. Starting a fire with wood alone was already a difficult task, but doing it under those conditions was nearly impossible.

"You're not going to get it to work, hedgehog. Don't be foolish." Shadow called from the back of the cave. 

"Gee, ya think?!" 

"Yes I do. So learn to quit while you're ahead, idiot."

Sonic glared down into the dark cave, ready for his rival to say something else to annoy him but Shadow remained silent. He locked eyes with the hero and at first, Sonic mistook the gesture as a challenge. However, Shadow made no attempt to move toward him; his gaze was steady and expectant. He was waiting for something.

Was this an invitation...?

Caution to the wind, Sonic began to slide down into the inner cave, well aware that the dark hedgehog was still watching his every move. 

"Stop." Shadow called once he was a few feet away.

"That's close enough."

"Here? Okay...uh, there's no fire down here though, do you have a blanket?"

Sonic heard something heavy land in the sand at his feet. He reached down and felt a soft, fuzzy material tickle at his fingertips.

"It's a pelt. One should be enough."

"Cool. Uh...thanks."

Red eyes disappeared as he heard Shadow shifting around before laying back down. Sonic followed his lead and curled up in the sand, pulling the thick fur pelt up around his shoulders. It was much more comfortable sleeping inside the cave than in the entrance with wind blowing constantly in his face. The hero buried his nose into the warm fur and breathed deeply as Shadow's familiar scent eventually put him to sleep.

He...tried not to think too hard about why.


	4. Getting Frosty

Something heavy landed on top of Sonic's body as he rested and his eyes fluttered open, wide awake. Footsteps crunched in the sand and caught his attention, though he already knew who they belonged to. The hero squinted in the light from the mouth of the cave just in time to see Shadow's silhouette disappear from view. He was leaving again, but would be back in a few minutes or so.

Sonic glanced down and noticed that Shadow had put the pelts from the bed on top of him while he went out. He snuggled down into the thick fur, trying to soak up as much warmth as he could before his rival came and took them back. 

They must have been what he used for bedding in his old cave too, because it was incredible how much they smelled like him. An earthy, pine tree scent mixed with something else that was uniquely Shadow. If Sonic was being honest with himself, the scent was rather addictive and comforting. It felt like he was laying right next to him...

He scrunched his nose and tried even harder to go back to sleep; that's one messy train of thought he did _not_ want to finish.

For the past week or so, the two hedgehogs had stayed in the cave sleeping soundly and waiting out the cold weather. It wasn't as comfortable as resting in his bed at home, but Sonic had been able to sleep rather well with only sand and animal furs for bedding. Every so often Shadow would leave the cave for a few minutes early in the morning but Sonic was too tired to ask him why.

The fact his rival would give him his blankets was a simple luxury, and the hero was determined not to ruin a good thing. 

"Hey, wake up." Shadow said quietly. It was the first time they had spoken in a few days and the soft tone of his voice caught Sonic's attention immediately. 

"Yeah?" The hero replied, groggily. He didn't expect him to be back so soon after leaving.

"Time to eat. We haven't eaten yet."

"Mmm...okay…"

"I found some eggs from an abandoned nest on the way back. Shouldn't be too hard for someone inept at cooking to make."

A tired scowl flashed across Sonic's muzzle. 

"Ugh, you're waking me up _and_ making me cook? Asshole…" 

"My cave, my rules."

"Alright, alright…."

He removed himself from the cocoon of blankets and trailed behind Shadow as they made their way toward the mouth of the cave. The campfire had been freshly lit and four eggs sat on a thin round rock beside it. Sonic was about to ask him what kind of spices did he have left before the icy air from outside caught his attention. Blue ears flattened at the drastic change in temperature and Sonic hugged himself quickly.

"What the heck, why is it so cold out here…?"

"It's always cold. It's winter."

"Yeah I know, but crap...it's _insanely cold_ today…"

Shadow squinted at the sky and studied the thick grey clouds blocking out the sun.

"It will only get colder by tonight. The good news is, it will be so cold there likely won't be any snow. So I hope you can handle it, hedgehog. Though given the way your legs are shaking, I doubt it--"

"S-shut up, of course I can!" Sonic shot back through chattering teeth.

A smirk played on the dark hedgehog's lips but he held back his taunt for now. Watching the blue idiot shiver like that was entertaining enough. However he began to notice Sonic was having difficulty steadying his hands to crack the eggs properly.

"Pathetic. Let me do it."

"Be quiet, I got this-- _oop!_ " Sonic bit back a laugh as one of the eggs landed in the fire pit.

"Okay...so, I just dropped one…."

"Give them here, fool." Shadow growled, swiping the remaining three from his rival's hands. The hero seemed relieved that he didn't have to do it himself, and shoved his arms into the pockets of his sweater. Sonic watched carefully as Shadow cracked the eggs on his knee and poured them one by one onto the thin rock.

"Hey Shads, there's something I've been meaning to ask you about for a little bit. "

" _Shads?_ " The dark hedgehog replied, narrowing his eyes.

"It's a nickname for you, that's what friends do; keep up, dummy."

"I will never understand why you're so insistent on being my 'friend'--"

"Why did you help us?" 

Shadow's body completely froze, eggshells still in hand. He stayed like that for a long time, to the point Sonic was starting to become a little worried that he had said something wrong. Before the hero could rephrase his question, Shadow moved again and tossed the eggshells carelessly into the snow. He seemed to have trouble looking Sonic in the eyes and picked up the eggs to set them in place over the fire.

"What do you mean."

"Don't play dumb dude, cmon. You told me to call you anytime I needed you, right? And this was after rejecting my initial offer to join the team. Why'd you change your mind?"

"Why did you lie?" Shadow retorted.

"Wait, _Lie?_ When did I ever lie to you?"

"I'm no fool, hedgehog. I told you to only call me when you need me, and yet every time I came to help you take out the doctor's latest plan it was incredibly easy. Too easy. You and your little friends had the situation under control, and yet you called me every chance you had, didn't you? Why is that?"

Sonic scoffed, completely taken aback by Shadow's accusatory tone. He was just asking him a simple question and now suddenly he was the bad guy? Sonic just wanted to help him socialize a little and make some friends. Why the heck was he being so defensive about it?

"If you knew, how come you always came then, huh? And _then_ you ran off when I wanted you to come hang out with us?" He raised his voice a little, the frustration from before rising to the surface now that they were actually talking about the issue.

"I don't get why you always act like you hate us but then come around every time I invite you--"

"I didn't come for them--!"

Both hedgehogs stared at each other, eyes blown wide in shock. The hero blinked rapidly trying to register exactly what Shadow had said and if he'd heard it correctly. He noticed that his rival seemed disturbed by his own outburst; Shadow's muzzle was flushed dark red and a look of pure frustration radiated in his gaze. He moved slightly and Sonic flinched, a part of him worried that his rival would try to cover his embarrassment by initiating a fist fight. He relaxed once he realized Shadow was only getting to his feet, glaring darkly into the campfire's flames.

"I...didn't come for them. I am not fond of your friends, and they despise me." He clenched his fists tightly as he tried to form the words whirling around in his mind.

"But you don't."

Sonic opened his mouth, trying to think of something to say, but was at a loss. There were so many things he wanted to ask, but they just wouldn't come out. Every question felt too invasive and he was afraid of saying the wrong thing.

"I…" all of a sudden his mouth felt incredibly dry and the hero cleared his throat, trying again.

"I'm glad you showed up for me."

Shadow nodded in acknowledgement before turning on his heel and headed back into the inner cave.

"I'm going to sleep."

The hero watched him go, wondering for a moment if he should try to stop him until a loud crackle caught his attention. Sonic glanced back toward the campfire; he had nearly forgotten about the eggs they were going to share. Although his appetite was long gone, it would be wasteful to just let them burn away. Sonic shrugged and stayed where he was, grabbing a twig to poke around idly in the flames. He would eat the eggs and then maybe cook more fish for Shadow later when they woke up again.

Deep down he knew it was a poor excuse for not going into the cave just yet, but he figured Shadow would just become more defensive if he did.

He could bug him about it later.

  
  


* * *

* * *

  
  


That night, the cold was unbearable.

Shadow tossed and turned in his nest, unable to find a position that was warm enough to go back to sleep in. Finally he sat up in bed, rubbing his neck in irritation. He never had trouble getting to sleep in the winter months before...but then again, it had never been this cold before. He briefly considered looking for another cave but it would be a death wish to do so right now. The dark hedgehog had claimed this cave for its ability to block out most of the wind, and the low, sandy floor at the back of the cave. 

No, this was an ideal place to settle. He wouldn't find a better one than this in the canyon.

Suddenly a low, whiny groan broke Shadow out of his thoughts. He had nearly forgotten about his uninvited house guest. Said hedgehog was having a similar issue as well, the groaning and shuffling a clear indication of his discomfort.

"Hey."

"H-huh?" Sonic replied. He hadn't noticed that Shadow was awake as well.

"Are you ok?"

"No, I'm _freezing_ it's cold as fuck, and I'm wearing two sweaters right now!" He hissed. The hero's silhouette rose up in the darkness, his messy quills looking more disheveled than usual.

"Can't we light the fire down here or something?"

"Don't be foolish. This part of the cave is too far back; we wouldn't get proper ventilation if we lit it in here."

"Dammit…" Sonic huffed as he rubbed his arms. 

"Then what else can we do? I'm dying over here…"

Although he couldn't see Shadow's face, the brief moment of silence told him that his rival was trying to think of a solution. Blue ears perked at a faint shuffling near the bed.

"I have a proposal." Shadow said carefully.

"Okay, what is it?"

"You could...come...come into my bed."

Silence.

"Uh--"

"For warmth. Body heat."

"Oh...I-I see…" Sonic stuttered. He scratched his cheek thoughtfully, unable to figure out how to respond. It wasn't that he was against being that close to his rival. On the contrary….

"Is that something you would be okay with doing?"

"I am the one who suggested it."

"R-right."

"If you don't want to be near me, just say it, idiot." Shadow growled.

"That's not it at all! I'm just surprised it's something you thought of considering...well everything."

It was quiet again, though Sonic could feel his rival's eyes on him in the dark.

"...It's not so unpleasant of an idea that I would let you freeze to death over it."

"Right, right. Well uh...scoot over I guess."

"I did. There's room beside me."

Carefully the hero got on his knees and felt his way over, one hand outstretched while the other dragged the pelt behind him. Warm fur tickled at his fingertips and he crawled closer, hesitating by the edge of the bed. He couldn't see and the last thing Sonic wanted to do was crawl right on top of his rival.

"Get in. I'm against the wall right now. There's space." Shadow called.

His heart jumped into his throat at the feeling of the fur pelts being lifted, and a cold leg brushing up against his own. The hero flinched at the sudden change in temperature, and climbed in as quick as he could. Once he stopped moving and laid down, Shadow pulled the furs back on top of them.

"Which way are you facing?"

"Toward you. I didn't wanna stick you with my quills since we're both kinda stressed right now." Sonic replied.

His voice...it was so much closer now.

"In that case, I would like to make a...secondary proposal."

"...okay?"

This was going to be harder than he thought, but it wasn't like there were any other options…

"Can I hold you?"

"I--...." Sonic squinted in his direction, conflicted.

"If you're trying to romance me you're doing it wrong, dude."

"Shut up! I'm asking you this because it would be beneficial to our survival. Merely sleeping side by side is not sufficient enough to share body heat. We have to be t-touching…" Shadow bit his lip and waited, inwardly cursing himself at the way his voice faltered toward the end of his sentence. 

Why did saying that out loud make him feel so foolish?

The hero caught the break in his voice immediately and was thankful for the fact that they couldn't see each other's faces right now. He wasn't sure he could handle looking into Shadow's eyes or vice versa as they did this. Sonic was starting to regret the 'romance' crack he made earlier, especially since this was kind of...

"Yeah, you can." He said quickly.

"...I don't mind."

"Alright then. Hold still."

Sonic's breath hitched as a gloved hand slid carefully up his arm. It moved so slow, so... _intimately,_ that he wondered if Shadow was doing it just to mess with him. Finally the hand rested at the small of his back and moved just under the hem of his jacket, before pressing Sonic's body closer. He had almost forgotten how strong Shadow was; a simple press on his back was enough to pull his body right into his arms.

"Ah…" Sonic sighed, immediately feeling the rise in heat on contact. His limbs began to tingle as warmth seeped into his skin everywhere their bodies touched. Shadow slipped an arm underneath him and laced his fingers together, both hands resting just above Sonic's tail.

"Is this fine?"

"Mmm-hmm. Feels good--....I mean, I'm warmer now." 

Sonic's breath gently caressed the underside of his muzzle and Shadow had to force his body not to shiver.

"So am I." 

"Cool."

"You...smell really good."

The hero snorted before burying his face into Shadow's shoulder. He figured they might as well get comfortable now that they were spooning together for the night.

"Thanks. Hey, Shads?"

"Yes?"

"Where do you go in the morning when you leave, anyway?"

"You noticed?"

"Yeah. I didn't wanna ask at first in case it was private, like you going to take a leak or something, but you're gone for a little longer than that. Well, I guess now that I think about it you could also just be taking a--"

"I leave to check on the canyon entrance." Shadow replied, a hint of annoyance in his voice at Sonic's vulgar rambling.

"It's still blocked by the way."

"Oh." 

"..."

"Mmm, I guess I have overstayed my welcome a bit huh? Haha…"

"Don't misunderstand. As annoying as you are, I went to check every day because I figured you were concerned about getting back to the villagers. And your friends."

Sonic suddenly felt a wave of guilt wash over him. He hadn't even thought about how worried everyone must be right now. Although he told Tails he would be back in a few days, it had been a little over a week now and it was hibernation season. They were all probably concerned about where he was, given that Sonic was too self-conscious to tell his brother exactly where he was going.

He wondered if things were okay back home.

"I'm a little worried about 'em but...also...I'm not having a terrible time with you. Anymore."

A genuine chuckle left Shadow's lips and Sonic blushed, feeling the sound reverberate against his chest. 

"Likewise."

"And If I have to spend the entire winter here well...that wouldn't be a bad thing.~"

"No," Shadow said quickly.

"That's a terrible idea. I'm pretty sure I'd kill you before spring came."

"Pft, oh yeah?"

"Absolutely. But...right now…" He patted Sonic's back in long, languid strokes.

"You're...highly tolerable. Almost favorable."

"Wow, that's the least shitty thing you've said to me all day. Thanks, buddy."

Shadow merely grunted, then let out a long tired sigh. Now that they were both warm and comfortable he was starting to become a bit drowsy. Sonic caught on to his rival's exhaustion and decided it was time they both went back to sleep. Carefully he slid a hand over Shadow's waist and tried to gauge if he was comfortable with it or not. However the gentle breath Sonic felt ghosting over his muzzle told him that Shadow was already falling asleep.

He shrugged and pressed closer to him, relishing the warmth and comfort between their bodies after sleeping in the cold sand for the past few days. If someone had told Sonic a week ago that he and his rival would be cuddling in a cave together, there's no way he would've taken them seriously.

 _'I probably would've punched them too.'_ He thought to himself with a smile.

But right now, this was the most comfortable he had ever been in a long time. And it was with _Shadow_ of all people.

Though Sonic knew in the back of his mind that this wouldn't last forever; eventually they'd go their separate ways once the canyon cleared. He would go back with his friends and Shadow would either return to his old cave or stay in the canyon. 

_'But...what's gonna happen after that….?'_


	5. Slushie

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little short, but very VERY sweet~ :3

"Mmm…"

"Hm?"

"We should get up and eat something…"

Sonic pouted a little and grabbed Shadow's arm as he rose from the bed.

"Or...we could wait until tomorrow?"

"Are you really so determined to stay with me that you would starve yourself? How flattering." Shadow replied with a smirk. 

"Oh shut up, I'm just tired is all." Sonic retorted, though he couldn't help but smile back at him. Green hooded eyes locked with red as his voice lowered an octave.

"I can't get back to sleep in this death trap of a valley unless I'm warm, and being up your ass is the only way to do it; I'm starting to like it up there, haha."

His rival's face turned a dusty shade of pink and he scowled in Sonic's direction. The hero couldn't help but snicker at how fast he was able to win arguments now. Alluding to anything sexual always seemed to do Shadow in, and Sonic relished every second of it.

Ever since they started sleeping together in Shadow's bed, things between them had suddenly become…different. They still argued and teased each other, that had not changed in the slightest. However, toward the end of the second week Sonic noticed that they both had gotten a bit handsy lately. An arm over the shoulder, laying in someone's lap, hands running through the other's quills. Sharing a sleeping space and cuddling for warmth every night really seemed to tear down any personal space that they had between each other; each day they discovered a new comfort threshold.

The times they slipped into hibernative sleep were even more intimate, hands settling around each other's waists and backs to keep their bodies close as they slept. Sonic had gotten into the habit of burying his face into Shadow's chest fluff, and his rival seemed to enjoy resting his chin on his head in response. The hero couldn't recall ever being this close with someone before, and he was positive this was Shadow's first time doing this as well.

However, the fact that they were so comfortable together brought an unexpected problem to the table. Cuddling and caressing each other's bodies throughout the night wasn't exactly something rivals just _did_ with each other normally. The lingering sensuality of each touch became apparent the more intimate their relationship became, but neither wanted to address the elephant in the room just yet. 

At least, Shadow didn't. 

Sonic was dancing around the issue with lewd jokes, taunting his rival in hopes of frustrating him enough to cross that line. The hero was more than willing to take the plunge if it were up to him; at some point, denying attraction became impossible when you were pressing your face into your rival's chest every night.

However, just because he admitted this to himself didn't mean he would admit it to _Shadow._ Getting flustered anytime Sonic joked about sex between them more or less confirmed his theory that the dark hedgehog was thinking about this too. Though Sonic was well aware Shadow was a loner with trust issues; he knew he couldn't make the first move without activating his rival's fight or flight response and the last thing he wanted to do was make him uncomfortable or even hostile.

No, Shadow definitely had to be the one to show he wanted it first, otherwise there was no point.

But...that didn't mean Sonic couldn't be a tease and ruffle his quills about it.

And judging by that blushing face, his quills were a little more than ruffled right about now.

"Stop saying stupid things, you fool…" Shadow chided him softly. 

"Stop falling for the stupid things I say then, dumb-dumb." 

"Do you want to eat or be destroyed? You can't have both, and you're heavily leaning on the _'destroy me'_ option right now."

Sonic huffed and got to his feet. Eating did sound pretty good, and if he remembered correctly, there were still plenty of snacks and soda left along with the fish. Besides, the sooner they ate the sooner they could get back to sleep.

"Okay, I hear ya, Mr. Grump. I can always mess with ya after we've got some food in us, and I'm hungry as hell anyway. Let's eat."

  
  


* * *

* * *

  
  


As hard as Shadow tried, he couldn't get comfortable that evening no matter what. Sleep curled at the edges of his mind begging him to close his eyes, but his body was too wired to listen to it. A blue leg slipped in between his thighs and Shadow tensed, even more awake than he was a second ago.

He was starting to regret how careless they had been up until this point. 

After their meal earlier in the day, the two hedgehogs promptly went back to sleep. Well...Sonic did.

His rival was having such a hard time actually falling asleep, those snide comments about sexual activity still roaming around somewhere in the back of Shadow's brain. The look on Sonic's face, the way his voice dropped as he said them…

It was just a joke, like countless others before it, but the dark hedgehog couldn't help but feel there was something there hidden between the lines. That something more was just under the surface, but he was too worried to ask about what it was. He was already quite vulnerable with Sonic due to the circumstances and the idea of going further than that was mortifying. Shadow couldn't tell exactly what these emotions were stirring inside of him, but he had a feeling the hero knew and was playing around with him because of them. 

All the more reason to resist it; nobody was going to make a fool out of him.

A breathy sigh from his bedmate interrupted his train of thought and Shadow blushed deeply.

Oh...this was _bad_.

Sonic looked so peaceful and considerably less annoying while he slept. The dim sunset light reflected off of him even this deep in the cave, and Shadow couldn't help but notice how gently the light streaked across his cheek in particular. He slid a hand away from Sonic's waist to brush a thumb across his muzzle as if the gesture would wipe away the fading sunlight.

Without thinking, Shadow leaned closer and pressed his lips against the spot. It was so warm and soft that it made him a little angry just how intoxicating it was. Something in his brain told him to quit while he was ahead, and that this might even be a little inappropriate somehow, but Shadow wasn't exactly the type to listen to a completely reasonable argument.

Which is why he immediately regretted the horrible decision to bite Sonic's cheek.

The hero's reaction was instant, years of fighting the doctor leaving an impression on him as he gripped his 'attacker' and flipped him onto his back in less than a second. 

"Easy, hedgehog..!" Shadow growled pushing back against his rival's grip. The blue hero jolted once he realized that he had pinned down Shadow by mistake; what on earth could have woken him up? Did he have a bad dream about something...? 

Either way, this situation probably wasn't scoring him any friendship points…

"Ah...s-sorry dude, I…" Sonic began groggily. He stopped short, feeling a cold sensation on the side of his muzzle. Shadow's eyes were trained on him as he reached up and felt at the spot, confusion evident on his face when he realized it was wet.

"..."

"..."

"....did you bite m--?"

" _No._ " 

They both knew it was a lie. A terrible one at that.

Even so, Sonic held his tongue, green gaze studying Shadow's face for a long time. He was scowling, as usual, but it was obvious this was just a front for whatever he was really up to.

"Okay...then what happened?"

"No clue, now get off of me." Shadow growled as he put his hands on Sonic's hips. They were probably there because the dark hedgehog intended to push him away, but instead they held him firmly in place. He couldn't move away even if he wanted to.

A smile made its way into Sonic's face and he leaned down, waiting for Shadow to turn his head or even move away; anything to indicate he was against what he was about to do. Red eyes widened a fraction, impatience and reluctance battling it out in Shadow's brain but he held still, too excited by what was happening to even consider moving away.

Peach lips met his own and his resolve crumbled. It was such a hot, wonderful feeling and he leaned into the kiss wanting more. Sonic huffed out a laugh at how bad Shadow was at getting their lips to work together, but his eagerness made up for it in spades. Sharp fangs caught his bottom lip and the hero shivered, remembering how they flashed teasingly everytime Shadow opened his mouth to speak. Gloved hands settled themselves into black quills, holding his rival in place as Sonic tried to get his bearings in the kiss. 

It was wonderful but overwhelming and they definitely needed to slow down or they would both forget how to breathe. Shadow growled low in protest but was easily soothed by the chaste kisses Sonic planted gently on his lips. He didn't want it to end, he didn't want to think, he only wanted to drown in those feelings until his mind dissolved completely, but unfortunately Sonic insisted on bringing them back to reality.

"Heh…" The hero laughed breathlessly.

"You suck at kissing. But I liked it."

"Fuck you…" Shadow replied, though his tone was anything but hostile.

"Mm, oh yeah?"

"It was a poor choice of words. Don't push it, fool."

"So...did you...like it?" Sonic asked. He already knew the answer, but he wanted to hear it.

"...It was unusual. I couldn't stop myself even if I wanted to…" His rival replied, sounding genuinely troubled. Dark brows creased in frustration before he looked off to the side.

"These feelings are horrifying. Yet I don't hate them in the slightest."

"Pft, that's a funny way to describe it but I totally understand what you're trying to say."

Sonic grinned as he felt Shadow's hands wrap around his back, urging him to lie down on top of him. Rather fond of the idea himself, the hero obliged, easing his body down until they were pressed together. He chuckled as those fingers quickly made their way up his sweater.

"Getting frisky, aren't ya?"

"I only want to warm my hands up." Shadow grunted.

"Sure, sure. Well don't let me stop you."

Sonic closed his eyes and rested his head on his rival's shoulder, taking a moment relish in the heat between them. Everything felt fuzzy and muddled in his head but it was a good feeling somehow, its tender warmth making him blush as it blossomed and spread throughout his chest.

Sonic noticed that the hands on his back had stopped moving and glanced over, smiling at Shadow's sleeping face. 

"Wow, he really fell asleep while groping me, huh? _Super_ romantic." The hero snickered as he placed another kiss on his rival's cheek. They were still tinged with a hint of red and he couldn't help but nuzzle Shadow's face, overwhelmed by his sleeping expression. 

On a whim, Sonic pressed his lips against a flushed cheek once again and opened his mouth slightly, just enough for a small gentle bite. The dark hedgehog seemed completely dead to the world and didn't even stir, unaware of the tiny red marks now left on the side of his face.

"Heh." Sonic grinned to himself, satisfied with his work.

"Consider that payback."


	6. Melting

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> NSFW! if you dont wanna read about two hedgehogs rutting up a storm skip this lol

It had only been an hour, maybe two, and Shadow was already fed up with his life.

Why the hell did he urge Sonic to sleep _on top_ of him? Was he stupid? Was stupidity contagious? It sure seemed that way, given the fact he recently stuck his tongue down an idiot's throat. 

Shadow breathed out slowly and tried to calm down. Berating himself wasn't going to help him figure out how to deal with the situation. He needed to think of a plan to get out of this mess and go back to sleep.

Now...how exactly would someone go about dealing with an erection _without_ letting the person sleeping right on top of them know about it? 

There was absolutely no way he was going to masturbate with Sonic right there, straddling him. Even if they had kissed a few hours ago, it didn't exactly warrant a free pass to do whatever he wanted. Besides, from this angle Shadow couldn't even see his dick let alone reach it. The position was pretty precarious as well; lined up perfectly just beneath Sonic's tail.

If he moved it, or even tried to get some friction going with his hand, the hero would feel it immediately or at the very least wake up from all shaking he was doing.

Should he ignore it…? No, that wasn't a viable option either. As long as he was here with Sonic draped on top of him, warmth enveloping his body, the hero's lingering scent of subtle body wash mixed with his stronger, natural one that Shadow felt like an absolute creep for liking because Sonic didn't exactly smell _good_ after two weeks but it still was so incredibly _hot--_

 _'Focus…!'_ He screamed internally.

Alright, ignoring it definitely wasn't possible.

There was always the option of waking him up. Shadow could simply make the excuse of having to use the bathroom. It was completely dark now that night had fallen, which would definitely hide his shame as he left the cave. Excellent plan. Fool-proof, even. As gently as he could, Shadow reached down and nudged Sonic's shoulder.

"Hey…"

"Hm?"

"Wake up."

"Mmmm...why…?"

"Get off of me. I have to use it."

"Use...what…?" Sonic sounded as if he were still half asleep.

"The restroom. I'm going outside, it shouldn't take long."

"Oh yeah, sure man…"

Shadow sighed, relieved that such a simple plan worked so well. He felt the hero shuffling above him and waited, assuming that he would slide off to the side of him. Unfortunately Sonic was still groggy and confused, and decided to slide backwards so he could sit up and get his bearings.

The moment that blue tail hit his cock, Shadow wanted to die.

He could _feel_ Sonic's body jolt at the sensation of something prodding him from behind; the dark hedgehog's member was hot and wet, likely smearing a generous amount of precum on his ass. The hero didn't move after that, and Shadow couldn't decide if he was thankful for the darkness because it hid his shame, or cursed it because it hid his rival's expressions. The silence went on for a few more seconds before it was overwhelming and he felt the need to speak.

"Move." He growled.

"I need to go to the restroom."

"Oh, do you?" Sonic replied innocently.

"...It won't take long. I'll be back soon."

"It's cold out there, ain't it? Why not just take care of your 'business' now?"

"There's absolutely no way I could masturbate with you right here wide awake."

He could practically hear the eager smile in Sonic's voice.

"That's not the _only_ way to take care of it, Shads..."

Shadow winced at the answer, a part of him desperately wanting to take his rival up on the subtle offer but suddenly all sorts of excuses were springing to mind. After a while the hero spoke up again, his voice softer and resolute.

"I'm feelin' some type of way right now too. Although, er...since you're a virgin--"

"How dare you assume--"

"Since you're a _virgin,_ " Sonic emphasized in a matter-of-fact tone.

"I don't wanna rush this kinda thing, especially if it's something you've never done, you know? If you're more comfortable going outside and jacking off that's totally alright with me."

It was mortifying to be pitied by his rival due to his own lack of experience, especially since Sonic could read him like an open book, just from the interactions they've had so far. Shadow had never been in a position of such inadequacy before and the feeling was new and foreign to him. He hated it. 

And yet…

"You better not do anything weird or I will destroy you."

"Sweet. Oh, sorry. I mean, I won't. Promise. But um…"

"What?"

Sonic shifted closer to him, groping blindly until his hand ghosted over Shadow's.

"I wanna _see_ you, if that's okay."

"...There's a flashlight in the box near the foot of the bed."

He waited patiently for Sonic to locate the box, his heart leaping into his throat once he heard the wooden lid clasp shut. A second later light flashed to his right, Sonic's eager smile illuminated in a ghoulish manner from the flashlight under his chin.

"Why are you doing that?"

"Because I look spooky?"

"Are you supposed to be a monster?"

"Monster? _Clearly_ , I'm a sexy ghost."

"Put the light down, dumbass." Shadow scowled before snatching it away from him. He scooped a small hole into the sandy floor and set the flashlight upright, facing the cave ceiling. It was bright enough for them to see each other clearly, yet dim enough for him to feel comfortable and secure. Shadow cast a glance over at his rival and noticed Sonic was looking further down, completely mesmerized.

"What's wrong?"

"Haha, nothing is wrong at all. You're totally _huge,_ man." 

The dark hedgehog froze, coming to the realization that his cock was now fully on display for Sonic to see. He instinctively put a hand over his groin to hide it but the hero was fast and grabbed his wrist gently the moment he saw it move.

"No, no, lemme see it…" He whispered softly, his voice so sweet and needy that Shadow felt it would be almost cruel to ignore it. He removed his hand and watched as emerald eyes lit up intensely, Sonic unable to hide his excitement.

His dick was fully out of its sheath now, completely soaked in precum, hot and flushed a deep, delicious red. Shadow seemed embarrassed by his erection but Sonic was utterly enthralled by it; he was a pretty good size, and the hero wondered what it would be like to take the whole thing in one go….

He sucked his teeth in disappointment, immediately catching Shadow's attention.

"What's the matter?"

"You're so big and I, uh...well we don't have all the tools for you to fuck me proper right now. As much as I would love to put my ass on the line for your cock, it would hurt both of us going in dry no matter who bottomed."

A black ear flicked; the words coming out of Sonic's mouth were so jarring. He had heard his rival curse and say several vulgarities many times but his ravenous tone made every word sound so casual and lewd...and attractive.

"Ah...so then, where do we go from here…?"

"Mmn, I have an idea or two..." His gaze softened on the dark hedgehog.

"Do you trust me?"

"No, but my erection is _screaming._ "

Sonic sputtered out a laugh and put a hand to his mouth. He supposed that getting Shadow to verbally admit he trusted him was too much to ask. The fact they were both in this cave right now, having this conversation, proved to the hero that his rival did feel some sort of comfort with him.

"Can I kiss you again?" Shadow asked abruptly.

"You can kiss me anytime, dude, you don't have to ask."

"I'm stronger than you are; I don't want to somehow cut or bruise your body trying to kiss while you aren't prepared.".

"Like I said," Sonic replied, removing the bandages around his gloves.

"you don't have to ask."

Shadow watched his hands carefully as he worked, the hero taking all the time in the world as he slipped the gloves off, leaving blue hands utterly bare. He inclined his head toward the dark hedgehog, a silent request that he should do the same.

It took a minute for Shadow to realize what he was asking, but eventually he complied, snapping the cuffs latched around his wrists. Sonic was rather impatient and reached over, taking his hand and gingerly pulling the fabric away. 

The hero blushed; Shadow's hands were incredibly soft. 

"You...have sharp claws." He managed to say instead, turning his hand over to examine it. 

"Yes. You don't?"

"Not as long as yours...it's kinda cool."

"Hmn…" Shadow hummed, suddenly feeling a bit more exposed than before. He watched the hero's face intensely before leaning in and pressing a kiss to the corner of his mouth.

Sonic chuckled and turned his head into the kiss, locking his lips with Shadow's own. He groaned, immediately feeling those sharp fangs graze his tongue. 

Damn, why did everything about Shadow have to be so incredibly hot?

He placed a hand on his chest, fingers rifling through the white fluff before pressing down and urging his rival to lie back. The moment Shadow's body hit the bed Sonic crawled on top of him. Strong hips rocked teasingly against his member as soft blue fur coaxed it fully out of its sheath. A throaty groan left Shadow's lips and Sonic lapped it up greedily, barely giving his rival a chance to breathe during the kiss.

A hot wet sensation suddenly pressed against Shadow's cock and he glanced down, noticing that the hero's length was now fully exposed and rubbing against his own in small languid circles. Sonic shivered and huffed into his mouth as Shadow gripped his hips, locking them into place while he rutted against him from below. 

"Fuck…" Sonic hissed as he broke away from the kiss.

Shadow nipped at the underside of his muzzle, a low growl forming in the dark hedgehog's throat. Sharp claws dug into Sonic's sides, pressing their bodies together so hard that it almost hurt. Pre cum soaked their fur, making everything slick and hot between them. Sonic cursed again, his cock throbbing at the friction and Shadow's own member sliding against it.

"Sha--Shads--..." He ground out, trying to make words through the lustful haze. The grip on his hips tightened as Shadow picked up speed and rutted harder into him. 

"Shadow, slow down…I don't wanna--...n-not yet…"

"...why not…?" His rival replied, voice practically dripping with lust as his husky tone hit Sonic's ears.

" I want to enjoy it a lil' bit."

Red eyes widened a fraction.

"Are you not enjoying it? Am I hurting you?"

"Ah..no, I'm loving it. I don't wanna cum just yet…but if you keep this up I totally might…"

Shadow stared at the hero for a moment seeming a little unsure. He closed his eyes briefly before opening them again and eased his hold on Sonic's waist.

"Can I try something?"

"I'm down for whatever."

"Lay on your belly."

"Uh...I already said we can't go in dry, remember?"

"I know." Shadow replied, though he seemed reluctant to give anything else away.

Intrigued, Sonic decided to play along and did as he was asked, lying flat on his stomach beside his rival. The fluffy fur pelts were excellent friction against his member and the blue hedgehog couldn't help but rut into them a little as he laid down.

His pulse quickened when he noticed Shadow climbing on top of him and settled a hand just above his tail. The other placed itself on a blue thigh and pushed his legs closer together.

"Keep them like this for me."

"Alright, whatever..--oooh…." Sonic moaned feeling Shadow's cock slide between his thighs slowly. He instinctively closed them tighter around the length, wet heat making him shiver as it sank further down and fit snugly under his balls. Shadow finally hilted and pressed up against his ass, waiting for Sonic to give an indication it was alright to move.

"Mmm...a thighjob? Smart thinkin'. You came to that idea pretty quickly didn't ya?"

"I've...thought about it before."

"You have? Got a thigh kink, huh?" Sonic replied looking over his shoulder.

Shadow lowered his head, a tad embarrassed.

"Just...blue ones."

The answer was as unexpected as it was exciting, and the hero couldn't help but bite his lip eagerly once he heard it. 

It appeared that his moody partner had been thinking about him like this for a while.

A sly grin flashed on Sonic's muzzle and he ground back against Shadow's crotch, earning a low, needy groan from the hedgehog above him.

"Don't let me stop you then, eh? Gimme all you got."

Sonic gasped at the impact as his rival began to move rapidly, each movement hard and precise as the leaking member slipped back and forth in between lean blue thighs. The hero liked it more than he was willing to admit, Shadow's hot cock slipping right under his balls and stroking underneath him. Skin slapped against skin echoing off the cave walls, drowning out their hushed, excited moans. 

An arm reached out and wrapped around Sonic's waist as Shadow draped over his back, kissing and nipping just behind a blue ear and trailing down the side of his face. The hero was practically vibrating in anticipation at the feeling of those fangs nipping at his neck, wanting to do more but hesitating. He tilted his head to the side barring the soft untouched fur of his throat for Shadow to do anything he pleased.

The bite was so intense Sonic felt as if his entire body had burst into flames.

The pain was there, but mixed with so much pleasure that it was impossible to hold back his shout if he tried. He reached down and stroked his length, thankful that whatever beast had taken over Shadow in the heat of the moment was too stubborn to slow down or even let go of him, fangs buried so deeply into his fur that Sonic was certain he would be bleeding by the end of it.

Shadow huffed a possessive growl around his grip on Sonic's neck and picked up speed, his thrusts becoming erratic and rough. The space was so tight and _wonderful,_ dry slaps becoming wetter and thicker sending the dark hedgehog into a deeper frenzy. Vaguely he could hear Sonic coming undone beneath him, stroking his cock and burying his muzzle into the pelts under them. Lean thighs tensed around his cock and right away Shadow knew his rival was close, the narrow passage tightening and every muscle in the blue body beneath him wound tight and ready to snap.

"Yes…! Fuck…!" Sonic shouted as he came, coating his hand and the bed below with his release. A second later Shadow came undone above him with an almost beastly growl, unable to pull away in time and spurting in between Sonic's thighs. He continued to rut into the hero in slow, lazy thrusts long after his peak, chasing the fleeting remains of his orgasm until he had spent every last drop.

Gently Shadow removed his jaws from Sonic's neck, confused by the whiny protest the hero let out soon after. A metallic taste passed the dark hedgehog's lips but he remained silent, afraid of how his rival would react to the knowledge he had broken the skin during their climax together.

Sonic appeared to be having trouble coming back down to earth, still panting heavily and mumbling something Shadow couldn't hear.

"What did you say…?"

"...bite me again…'s so hot..."

He kissed the bite marks delicately.

"No. Maybe...next time."

The hero suddenly perked at the words and looked over his shoulder, a tired eager grin on his muzzle.

"So...there's a next time...?"

A greedy glint shone in Sonic's eyes that shook Shadow to his core, and yet he couldn't stop himself from taking the subtle challenge presented in front of him.

"If you want there to be."

"Haha…not now, dummy. But uh…" the hero turned around again, face buried into the pelts on the bed.

"Maybe we could try doing it for real. Someday."

Shadow held his breath, the word 'someday' catching in his mind more than anything else. The subtle implications of that one word heating up his body and setting his nerves on fire.

"I...I'd like that."

Sonic seemed to appreciate his reply and turned to the side, looking back at him once again.

"It's a date, then."

"A little late to be planning a date after this, hedgehog." Shadow scoffed. He eased himself off of his rival, wincing a bit at the sticky mess he had left behind. Sonic's entire lower half was slick and matted, a thin strand of clear fluid still clinging to his thigh from Shadow's sheath.

"Sorry about the mess…"

"It's okay, I basically just nutted all over your bed so we're even." Sonic rolled over onto his side, nose scrunching at the mess beneath him.

"Any place we can wash up around here?"

"Yes, but it's freezing out there. I usually just lick myself in situations like this but given how much of a...mess...we made, we should wait until morning when it's a few degrees warmer."

"Pft, wait, back up you do _what?_ "

"Shut up, nevermind." Shadow hissed before pulling another pelt up over them both. He turned away from the blue hedgehog and was suddenly embarrassed by their situation now that his excitement had passed.

"So...would you lick me if I asked you to...?"

"Don't be stupid. Go to sleep." 

"I can't sleep when you're all the way over there, dude. Cmon, snuggle time." 

Shadow sighed deeply and turned to face the hero, draping an arm over his waist before pulling their bodies together again. They had slept together so long that they instinctively shifted into their routine positions, Sonic's face buried into white chest fluff and Shadow's chin resting on his head. 

"There. Are you satisfied?"

"Yep. In more ways than one, hehe.~"

"You're never going to let me live in peace after this, are you?" Shadow sighed, though there was a hint of amusement in his tone.

"Did I ever before?"

"Point taken. Though, if I'm being honest...I've enjoyed your company."

"Oh?"

"That is to say...I-I would be incredibly bored without a rival to prove my superiority to, of course."

Sonic snorted. 

"Uh huh, yeah,"

He couldnt help but smile at how tight Shadow held him as he muddled over his words. The hero ran a thumb lovingly over his muzzle in appreciation, letting him know he got the message loud and clear.

"I like you too, Shads."


	7. Boiling Point

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Sorry this took a while guys! Ive been having trouble getting back to work on this, and i also got a job recently so ive had so little time to work on it heh.
> 
> After this fic is finished I'll be going on a hiatus so i can hash out some old fic ideas and maybe polish the designs of the fic layouts a bit more. (Banners, cover art, etc.)
> 
> I dont know when the final chapter will be out but ill try my best not to make you wait too long!

"Oh."

This was...an unfortunate development.

Tired red eyes glared up at the mountain of snow before settling on the slanted canyon wall. It appeared some of the snow had fallen away; if one had the energy to do so, they could easily climb up the slope and escape to the other side of the valley. They could leave.

 _Sonic_ could leave.

The idea of his rival going home gave Shadow an unusual feeling in his chest and he huffed to himself in frustration. White clouds billowed from his muzzle as he stared into the sky, wondering what action he should take next. Telling Sonic about it seemed like the obvious thing to do.

"He would finally be out of my quills…" 

Shadow mused, shoving his hands into the hoodie Sonic had given him earlier. It was one that the hero had worn himself and his scent still lingered on it even now. It was comforting but the hoodie made it even harder for Shadow to think clearly about the situation.

Why did the idea of Sonic leaving suddenly seem so unbearable?

Two weeks ago, it would've been a lot easier. Although he would never admit it to anyone, Shadow did have some affinity for the blue hedgehog but he was set in his ways of being a loner. 

Besides, interacting with him was more of a want than a need. Sonic could be incredibly annoying at times and trying to put up with his little friend group just to talk to him was impossible. He didn't understand them, nor did he want to. It was easier to keep Sonic at arm's length.

Now that it was just the two of them, that deeply rooted desire for his attention had suddenly become a necessity. A few days ago they started to become intimate and it was something Shadow had never even considered before with anyone, let alone Sonic. Now that they had crossed that line, it seemed to be all Shadow could think about.

Ever since then he began to crave that intimacy, not only for the physical aspect but for the emotional connection as well. Feelings that were so difficult to convey before, were laid bare in the heat of the moment. It had gotten so addictive that fooling around was the only reason they really woke up anymore besides eating. There were even a few times where Shadow caught Sonic pretending to be asleep, knowing full well that the hero was waiting for him to wake up and give him his undivided attention. Their frequent activity had drastically cut into how much time they spent sleeping and it left the dark hedgehog incredibly tired. His muscles were screaming in pain, begging him to go at least 24 hours without crawling all over his den mate and get some sleep.

The screams were ignored; pain was just weakness leaving the body and Shadow didn't put up with weakness.

A bird flew overhead and broke the brooding hedgehog out of his thoughts. He should really get back before Sonic woke up. With a heavy sigh, he pulled himself away from the canyon entrance and trudged away. Snow was beginning to fall again, and he could tell that another storm was going to happen in a few hours. 

Shadow figured that he didn't have to tell him about the opening in the valley right away. Even if Sonic wanted to leave now, it would be difficult and dangerous for him to go home in that kind of weather.

No, it was better for him to stay a little longer.

Satisfied with his conclusion, Shadow picked up speed and eagerly made his way back to the cave.

* * *

The fire Shadow had set up to keep his partner somewhat warm had burned out by the time he came back. It appeared that the storm was coming sooner than he anticipated, it's winds blowing too strong for even their campfire to stay lit. He shivered as he stepped into the cave, relishing the thought of getting back under the warm pelts with his rival again and blocking out the world for a little while longer. As he predicted, Sonic had not moved from his spot against the cave wall, his face buried into the pelts as he curled into a ball underneath them.

Shadow pulled back the fur blanket and climbed in delicately so as not to wake him. Once he was settled in he turned toward the mouth of the cave and watched as the wind picked up outside, his partner snuggled comfortably against his back. The concept of weathering a storm with someone was a romantic idea he had not thought much about before until now. It was a new and cozy feeling, one that he treasured deeply.

Soft gloveless hands wrapped around Shadow's torso from behind, one of them sliding up to fondle the thick white fluff on his chest. A warm kiss touched the side of his muzzle and Shadow sighed, thankful for the gesture after being outside in the cold.

"Your face is freezing." Sonic whispered, his voice radiating exhaustion. He was worn out from their lack of sleep as well it seemed.

"Did you go outside to check the wall again?"

"Another snowstorm was picking up so I headed back." Shadow replied. He refused to lie to the hero about it, but he was hellbent on avoiding the truth in any way he could. 

Sonic didn't ask for more information on the matter either. The question was more of a conversation starter than anything and he wasn't really concerned about his rival's findings at the moment. 

"Good thing you got back when you did, dude. You're ice cold right now."

"Mmm."

"Want me to warm you up…?"

"Are you trying to kill me?" Shadow hissed, though Sonic knew there was no real anger behind it.

"Oh relax, asshole. As much as I like getting freaky in your cave all day, I'm tired as hell too. I'm more than happy to just cuddle for today. Cuddle and maybe kiss."

"Sonic--"

"Just a little, I promise. No sexy stuff, just kissing."

"I'll think about it."

Sonic chuckled and nuzzled his cheek lovingly. He had learned that was Shadow's way of saying 'yes' when he was trying to be responsible and show restraint. Though if the last few days were anything to go by, he was getting really bad at it.

A comfortable silence settled between the two hedgehogs as they watched the snowstorm from safely inside the depths of their cave. Sonic shifted even closer to his rival's back, determined to press their bodies as close as possible.

"I wonder how everyone is doing."

Shadow froze.

"...Do you miss them?" 

"Uhm...well…yeah and no?" Sonic replied, idly fondling a delicate black ear.

"It hasn't been a super long time or anything. I miss Tails the most if I'm being totally honest, but it's because we're bros, ya know?"

"And the others?"

"They...ah...how do I…?" 

Shadow turned a little to look at Sonic directly. Blue brows knitted together in concentration, his mouth hung open slightly as he tried to form the thoughts into words. 

"I miss them but...I don't miss them as much as I like being with you, If that makes any sense."

The dark hedgehog was silent, letting the reply settle into his mind for a moment. Sonic took the lack of response as confusion and leaned over his rival until he was laying on top of him horizontally, both hands supporting his upper half.

"Like this," he drew a long line in the sandy floor with his finger.

"This is how much I like being with you."

"Uh huh." Shadow replied. He didn't need an in-depth explanation, but decided to humor him.

"And this…" Sonic said as he drew another line. This one was significantly shorter than the previous one, barely half its length.

"...Is how much I want to go back. I mean, you and I can see each other anytime but this situation is different somehow, right? So it's like...I miss them but I'm kinda enjoying myself, haha."

"I see."

Something compelled Shadow to say what he was thinking, and the question tumbled out of him before he could stop it.

"But...how much do you _need_ to go back?"

The hero paused, his tranquil smile slowly fading as he leaned off of him and snuggled back into the bed. A long, heavy sigh left his lips and suddenly Shadow felt foolish for mentioning his duty as a hero. It was something Sonic was probably trying to avoid talking about even though he knew it took priority over everything else.

"I...can't leave everyone on the island unprotected for too long, you know?"

"...I'm aware."

"So I guess the sooner I can get back, the better." The hero finished, his voice resolute and determined. He did not seem resentful of his duty, only troubled by how it conflicted with his own current interests. As much as he wanted him to stay, Shadow could not force him to be here nor would he attempt to do so. It was something that Sonic would return to again and again because protecting others was part of his life. It was part of himself.

Shadow hated it.

"Then we'll get you home after the snowstorm is gone."

The words stung as they left his lips, but he refused to dwell on it. It didn't matter. 

Green eyes flashed with worry, but Sonic didn't reply, choosing instead to hug his rival from behind. He squeezed Shadow's body as a silent apology, hoping that he felt some comfort from the gesture. 

Sonic felt a shred of guilt for hoping the snowstorm would never come to an end.

* * *

It was the cold wind that had woken him up later in the evening. Determined to get back to sleep, Sonic scooted toward Shadow in an effort to warm himself up again. He reached over, expecting to touch his rival, but was left with nothing but empty air instead. It was too dark to see anything clearly, but it didn't take long for him to figure out Shadow was no longer in the bed.

"Shadow? Shads??"

"What…?" A grumpy voice replied a few feet away. The dark hedgehog sounded as if he had just woken up.

"Oh good, you're still here. So...any particular reason you aren't sleeping in bed?"

"Any particular reason you can't sleep by yourself?"

"Jeez, What's _your_ problem?"

"...I don't have a problem. Let me sleep, idiot."

Sonic scowled; clearly there was something wrong. 

He sat quietly for the time being, racking his brain for anything that might have pissed off his rival in the past few hours. The only thing they had talked about was Sonic returning home. Perhaps Shadow was just upset about the conversation? It wasn't exactly something either of them wanted to happen, but Sonic preferred to spend their time together while they could. Maybe the conversation struck a bigger chord with Shadow, and he just needed some time to cool off…?

"Whatever, g'night." The hero sighed, before covering himself up and turning away. 

It took him ages to finally fall asleep.

* * *

* * *

Sonic had hoped that Shadow's sour mood would brighten up in the morning, but if anything, it seemed to have gotten worse.

His rival refused to be anywhere near him the next day, choosing instead to spend hours outside the cave on the pretense of hunting for more resources. It wasn't exactly a lie; they really did need more after running out of fish a few days ago. However, the fact Shadow left without him this time led the hero to believe it was about more than that.

Instead of chasing after him Sonic waited at the cave entrance, occupying himself by working on a fire. The blizzard from before had still not let up, though he was thankful the wind wasn't as strong. 

"Oh. You're awake."

Sonic looked up from the fire pit just as his rival walked in, carrying several small fish strung up on a wooden pole. Shadow barely spared the hero a glance, shuffling quickly away from the fire.

"No 'Hi', or anything? Just 'Oh you're awake?' " Sonic teased.

"Ya know, a little more affection would be nice, Shads.~"

"Then we better get you back to your friends as soon as possible then, shouldn't we?"

"Okay, what the hell is your deal?"

"The only 'deal' is you staying here until the blizzard dies down."

Sonic squinted in his direction, unamused.

"Why are you suddenly giving me the cold shoulder, huh? As far as I know, I haven't done anything except go to town on you for the past few days, which you seemed to _like_ , I might add."

"That was a mistake."

"Oh." 

"..."

"So what? Now you're done with me?"

The opportunity to let go presented itself sooner than Shadow would have liked, but he took it nonetheless.

"Yes." He lied.

"Yes I am."

Green eyes locked with red for a long time and the hero sat stone faced as he let his rival's words sink in. A gust of wind whipped through the cave entrance and snuffed out the fire between them, leaving the air stagnant and cold. 

" _Fine_. Waste of my time anyway." Sonic spat. He attempted to put his hands into the hoodie pockets until he realized Shadow was wearing it this time. Looking down he scrunched his nose at the bright Christmas tree sweater draped around him. He had forgotten they traded a few days ago. Sonic settled for putting his hands on his hips instead.

"I'll find my own way outta here then."

Shadow said nothing and turned away toward the inner cave. Sonic waited for a response, anything that would give him fuel to escalate their argument. Frustration welled up in his chest and the only way he could think of how to vent it was to fight Shadow. A punch, a kick, anything. It was stupid, he knew, but he couldn't help himself.

"I better get goin'. Wouldn't wanna _burden_ you anymore, right? Got a lot of brooding to get to don't you?"

"..." 

"..."

Sonic sighed in frustration.

"Bye then, asshole." He growled before taking off, kicking up a generous amount of snow in his wake. In an instant Sonic was gone as his silhouette faded away into the cloudy blizzard fog. An eerie silence settled around the cave as if his rival had never been there at all.

Shadow sat hunched beside the fire pit, his back to the cave entrance. He tried not to think about how much it bothered him to lie, to see that faint look of betrayal reflected in Sonic's eyes before he left. It was better this way. It needed to be this way. Quick and painless. Being hated on his own terms was far better than being left behind when he least expected it. This was only temporary, they both knew that, and playing that game any longer would only end in Shadow getting hurt later on.

_'So why does it hurt so much now…?'_

Shrugging the thought away, the dark hedgehog stood up slowly and kicked at the fire pit. He grimaced at the smoldering remains as he realized his uninvited house guest had used up the majority of the firewood during his stay. Now that the blue menace was gone, Shadow decided to get to work on recovering supplies for himself. The blizzard was getting worse but he was well aware of his own limitations in harsh weather. He could easily gather some kindling for an emergency fire.

Anything was better than being alone with his thoughts right now.

* * *

* * *

High above the plateau, the winds whistled violently through the canyon. Shadow squinted toward the sky as the last shreds of daylight could be seen fading away behind thick clouds. Unable to help himself, the dark hedgehog's gaze drifted to the wall of snow, the fallen portion still left untouched overhead. He scowled.

"Why did I come back here…"

Shadow knew the answer of course, but he refused to admit it even to himself. There were plenty of other areas in the canyon that had scrub bushes he could use for firewood but somehow along the way he ended up back at the canyon entrance. A small part of him had hoped Sonic would be here, but unfortunately the hero was nowhere to be found.

"This is exactly why I shouldn't even have entertained that fool...of course he left the moment he saw his chance to escape..." Shadow muttered as he snapped branches from the brittle bushes nearby. 

He was so busy working himself up over the hero's absence that it took him a second to notice that something didn't seem quite right. Again he whipped around to the wall of snow, eyes searching for any signs that someone had scaled the slanted rocks or even disturbed the snow itself. It was exactly as it had been earlier in the day and completely untouched.

Which meant Sonic had not left the canyon. 

A quick glance at his surroundings showed no footprints on the ground besides his own. It had only been a few minutes since they split up, so the blizzard couldn't have covered them. It appeared his rival had not come this way at all.

_'I'll find my own way outta here then. Wouldn't wanna burden you anymore, right?'_

"Shit…."

Of course he didn't return to the canyon entrance. He was looking for an alternative exit, and Shadow had not told him about the break in the snowy wall. There was only one way in or out of this place and no matter how determined Sonic was, there was little he could do to escape in their current condition. Eventually he would either have to come back to the cave or risk his life by trying to get back home a different way.

Which meant that Shadow probably should track him down before he froze to death.

"Fucking idiot…" He growled under his breath. Quickly Shadow tossed the branches aside and ran back to the cave, hoping he could find Sonic's path from there and track him down. It was getting darker by the minute and his rival was in no condition to run through the winding canyons in this weather. Then again, neither was he…

Shadow smirked to himself; being low on energy only meant that they were on a time limit, nothing more. And the dark hedgehog was never one to turn down a race. Without a moment to spare, Shadow put on an extra burst of speed.

"I better go find him before he kills both of us."


	8. Hot Chocolate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally! Got it done just for you guys. And now, I plan to take a well-deserved Hiatus. Check back now and then because i plan to add some nice decorations and titles to all my fics during the hiatus. See you guys sometime in December! (Unless i get inspiration and do one-shot)

_'I've checked north, northeast...south...the upper path...his tracks led to the eastern tunnel but then...back out….but..go south again, and then disappear…'_

Shadow counted on his fingers, black brows knitted in confusion as he glared at the ground.

 _'...Where the_ fuck _is he???'_

It had been two hours since he had last seen the blue hedgehog and Shadow's irritation was slowly turning into anxiety. The snowstorm was unbearable now and he was starting to feel exhaustion and frostbite taking its toll on his body. He was used to this kind of weather after living in the wilderness all his life, but Sonic definitely wasn't.

If Shadow was starting to waver, he couldn't imagine how the hero was fairing right now.

"Fucking idiot…" He cursed under his breath. 

"I swear, I'll find you before we die just so I can kill you first!"

For a moment, the dark hedgehog considered running through all of the paths he could think of until he found a fresh set of tracks. It would only take a few seconds but if Shadow came up empty handed, it would be a waste. Not to mention the fact that expelling so much energy in these conditions would cause him to faint or even freeze to death. However, he was running out of options and lost the hero's trail half an hour ago. Sonic appeared to be wandering around as well, taking long winding paths in different directions until he ultimately gave up and tried another way.

Each time Shadow came across a set of his rival's tracks, he hoped they led back to his cave. They never did.

_'Of course not...He's too prideful to come back to me after what happened.'_

Red eyes narrowed as another harsh wind blew in his direction.

_'Then again...I probably wouldn't have come back either if someone told me I wasn't wanted.'_

More than anything Shadow regretted lying to the blue hero about how he felt. Although they both knew their arrangement was only temporary, Sonic wanted to make the most of it while it lasted. Afraid of being left behind, Shadow made the first move and told his rival that he was done with him altogether. He had never been so vulnerable with anyone else before; the urge to protect himself was purely instinctive. 

However it was starting to look as if that knee jerk reaction was going to cost them their lives at this rate.

Shadow halted midway through the winding canyon path and considered turning back. Though if he remembered correctly, a small alcove sat at the end of this path in one of the cliff sides. If Sonic had come this way, there was a good chance he was still here if he found it.

"Wait…"

Sure enough, Shadow spotted freshly made tracks left in the snow. He picked up the pace as he followed them, hoping the snowstorm wouldn't cover Sonic's trail before he caught up to him. 

The footprints suddenly veered to the side, trudging along the canyon walls. The dark hedgehog's heart sank as he realized they were less distinctive the further he went. Soon they became nothing more than churned up holes in the snow, as if Sonic was leaning against the walls to support himself. 

_'No...dammit, you better not be fucking dead…!'_

Panic set in immediately as Shadow broke into a frantic sprint, ignoring how the bitter cold drained all of the energy from his aching limbs.

_'If you're dead I'm beating your corpse, you blue bastard, I swear to--'_

Something caught his leg mid stride and he tumbled to the ground, cutting a clean path through the white snow in his wake. The dark hedgehog growled in pain as he felt his back smack harshly against a rock breaking his momentum. Everything around him seemed to be spinning and he was having trouble recovering from the rough landing.

"F-fucking hell..!" he shouted in frustration. Shadow's dark fur was completely covered with snow and he was beginning to lose body heat fast. Running was the worst thing he could have done, he knew that, but the idea of Sonic being in trouble…

By sheer luck Shadow heard a muffled groan cut through the wind. Black ears pricked toward the sound, coming from the exact place he had tripped and fell. Quickly he crawled to his feet and limped toward the sound, muscles aching from exhaustion with every movement. The dark hedgehog leaned against the rock wall and pulled himself along, determined to find the source of that noise.

"Ow...what the hell…?"

A blue leg jutted out from a small split in the wall. Shadow realized in his haste he had completely passed by the very location he had planned to check in the first place. The leg twitched before its owner tried weakly to drag it back inside the crevice.

"S-Sonic!?" Shadow called. He managed to squeeze himself in with the last of his energy, trying his best not to step on the other person that had wedged themselves inside. Sure enough a warm, familiar scent hit his nose, and he couldn't help but curl protectively around them. It was too dark to see anything and cramped, but at least they were protected from most of the cold in here.

"Sonic?"

"Ughh…what do you want…?" 

"Finally…!" Shadow breathed, all the tension leaving his body once he heard his rival's tired voice.

"Are you alright?"

"Mmm….sleepy...cold…"

"I've been looking all over for you, you goddamn idiot! It's cold as hell out here! Why didn't you go to the hole at the canyon entrance?!"

Shuffling could be heard and he felt the body against him move away a fraction.

"...w-what...hole...?"

"Uh...N...Nevermind. Forget it. Let's just get you out of here." Gingerly Shadow felt around until his hands found Sonic's waist. The blue hero's body tensed up weakly once he felt himself being pulled.

"Nooooo…"

"Stop being a fucking baby, I know you're tired but you can't stay out here."

"He...said...stay. He was comin'..."

"Who?"

Sonic buried his face into his shoulder, exhausted.

"Mmm...I..can't…"

"You're delusional. All the more reason to get back to the cave."

As he tried to stand, Shadow immediately felt his legs buckle under his own weight. He put out his hands against the opposite wall to catch himself and avoid landing on his rival.

"Shit. I'm too tired right now…because I was looking for your _dumb ass…_ "

Sonic didn't reply, only tugged at the hem of his hoodie urging Shadow to sit back down beside him. Carefully he sank down and leaned against the hero, secretly thankful for the fleeting warmth he felt between them. Going out right now wasn't an option. They were both too weak to withstand the wind and cold to make it all the way back to the cave alive. Resting until the storm was over and they got their strength back seemed like the best way to handle this, even if this small opening in the rock was cramped and offered little warmth on its own.

Sighing in defeat Shadow turned on his side, back facing the mouth of the crevice to shield Sonic from most of the wind. He reached out and pulled his rival close, thankful he could feel a pair of arms returning the gesture. It was uncomfortable and cold but they were safe for now, hidden away from the worst of the blizzard. The dark hedgehog couldn't help himself as he felt Sonic's breath ghosting over his muzzle and turned toward him, placing his lips on the hero's cold cheek. He expected him to pull away or even push him off but Sonic only squeezed him tighter and curled up in his arms. 

"Only a few hours…" Shadow drawled, feeling exhaustion and the blue hedgehog's scent curling at the edges of his tired mind. He needed to sleep, at least for a little while. Sonic was alive--though a little lethargic-- and sleep was the only way the two of them could make it through the rest of this storm. Slowly Shadow managed to close his eyes and drifted off to sleep. 

It wasn't clear, but he could've sworn he heard something akin to a plane propeller in the distance.

* * *

  
  


_'Warm...it's so warm here…'_

Shadow rolled over and curled up, relishing the unexpected softness around him. It was comfortable, but something nagged at the back of the dark hedgehog's mind, telling him this wasn't right.

_'Cloth? Blankets...?'_

An ungloved hand reached out palming the space around him. Shadow's brow furrowed in his sleep, vaguely aware that something was amiss. He remembered wearing his gloves before he left the cave. It was difficult to open his eyes, let alone stay awake but Shadow was certain he was in unfamiliar territory. Nothing smelled quite right, and he definitely did not have cloth bedding in his cave.

He could hear voices somewhere close by, catching bits and pieces of the conversation. 

"--- have any idea ---!?"

"She's right, dude."

They sounded urgent and frustrated, the higher feminine voice going on at length above the others.

"And another thing, --- cold out there!"

"Will you lay off --- huh? I already said I--- sorry!" 

His eyes flew open. That last voice was Sonic.

Shadow sat up immediately, trying to adjust to the artificial light coming from a lamp sitting beside him. He appeared to be in a small seaside shack, laying on a couch and practically swaddled in various blankets and pillows. Something about the place seemed familiar but he was having trouble figuring out why. 

Out the window he spotted the blue hero and his friends, the group gathered just outside the front entrance on the porch.

"Yeah, okay _whatever_ Merry Christmas, Ames." Sonic sighed dismissively.

"It's _November_."

"Not according to my sweater, haha-- _-cough- -cough-!_ " The hedgehog spiraled into a long coughing fit, before Sticks reached out and patted his back aggressively.

"Ahh, see, that's what you get for messing around outside! Now you're cursed with sickness."

"...ugh, I'm not cursed Sticks."

"I beg to differ," Amy replied with an exasperated smile.

"This is _absolutely_ the work of bad karma for your irresponsible behavior. Tails, make sure he gets some rest and stays home this time, okay?"

Shadow leaned on the windowsill to get a better view but the young fox quickly moved in front of the glass.

"Yeah I will, I promise. Later guys. We'll call you if there's an emergency."

Sticks narrowed her eyes at Tails' sudden movement but was distracted by the pink hedgehog as she put an arm over her shoulder.

"Good. Well, goodbye and please be careful, Sonic. Or else a simple cold isn't the only thing that will be bugging you." 

Shadow heard the crunch of footsteps in the snow as the two women left before Tails finally moved away from the window. He laid back on the couch and waited patiently for them to come inside and ask Sonic some questions. The hero and his brother seemed to be whispering something Shadow couldn't hear through the glass before quickly shuffling back into the shack. 

"Yeah Tails, I mean, I dunno when I'm gonna tell them about-- Shads!" Sonic exclaimed, green eyes lighting up once he noticed his rival was awake. He rushed over to the couch and sat down roughly across Shadow's legs under the covers.

"Ow! Watch it you blue idi--"

"You're finally awake dude, that's amazing!"

"Finally…? How long have I been out?"

"Uh...a week and a day…?" Tails piped up nervously from the doorway.

"Its hibernation season, so after what you guys went through, sleeping that long is normal. Sonic woke up three days ago and he wouldn't stop bugging me about if you were okay."

The blue hedgehog winced and glared in Tails' direction.

"I did _not_ do that."

The kit smirked.

"Suuuurrre you didn't. And I suppose that mountain of blankets just miraculously piled on top of him too huh?"

"Well we slept under pelts so thought I'd-- I mean--uhh-- _dammit_..."

Tails gave them a tight lipped smile before reaching over the side of the couch for a small brown jacket.

"Anyway, it's good you're awake to keep Sonic company so I can finally get back to work."

"Where am I?"

"Oh, right, you're at my house, dude." 

Shadow frowned and looked around.

"This...isn't much."

"You live in a cave, shut the fuck up."

"How are you feeling, Shadow?" The young fox interrupted. 

"Fine. How did I get here? Why _am_ I here?"

"Oh, well I found you along with Sonic in the canyon. It had been almost a month since he disappeared so we all split up and looked for him. I decided to fly over the canyon and saw him running around in circles down there. I saw you too but um..." 

Tails fidgeted with the front door handle before continuing.

"I thought you were chasing after Sonic to destroy him or something, so I didn't check on you when I saw you were struggling in the cold. Eh...Sorry. In any case, I found Sonic and told him to wait for me while I went back to get my plane. I couldn't carry him after all. But when I came you guys were uh….snuggling in that little crevice."

Shadow's muzzle twitched but he managed to keep his composure.

"It was cold outside, and both of us were exhausted. I don't know what you're insinuating _fox,_ but it was purely instinctive to--"

"I already told him we fooled around, dude--"

" _W-Why?!_ "

"Because he's my bro! That and I couldn't explain away the bite marks on my neck, you know?" Sonic replied as he flashed a toothy grin.

"Anyway...I didn't tell anyone else. Heck nobody knows you're here except us. I didn't want them asking too many questions and I figured you didn't either."

"If you guys are squared away, can I go now? I wanna get back to my workshop, like, today?" Tails said impatiently.

"Afraid you're gonna catch us kissing?"

"Pft, _bye_ Sonic." The kit snorted as he walked outside and pulled the front door up behind him. Shadow tensed as he watched him go, footsteps fading away into the snow. It suddenly dawned on him that he and Sonic were completely alone now and from what he remembered they weren't on the best of terms before they were rescued.

"So.…" Sonic drawled as he leaned back onto the couch. It would seem that he anticipated his rival trying to leave before they had a chance to talk; the hero had no intention of removing himself from Shadow's legs.

"...You came looking for me huh?"

"Get off me."

"No way, not until you admit that you were totally worried about me and wanted me to come back."

"I'm not doing _shit._ "

"You kissed me when we almost froze to death! Not to mention you 'forgot' to tell me about the canyon entrance."

Black ears flattened quickly and Shadow turned away, completely done with the conversation.

"Yeah, see? I remembered what you said out there. For what it's worth though, I'm not mad you tried to hide it from me."

"...I was keeping you ignorant about your chance to escape."

Sonic smirked and leaned in close.

"Which means...you _like me._ "

"..."

"..."

"N-no I don't." 

"Pffft! Uh-uh. Look, Shads I just wanna know why you tried to push me out when you _clearly_ wanted me to stay."

For a while the dark hedgehog said nothing, eyes glued to the white cloudy landscape outside. It was dark now but he could see several small huts in the distance, each of them decorated with colorful lights. As much as Shadow hated to admit it, he understood why the hero would want to return to his village. There were people here who loved him. People he needed to protect.

"I...refuse to be left behind on a whim."

Sonic tilted his head but waited for him to continue.

"You have obligations. You have friends. I have no interest in either of these things of yours. Eventually you would have chosen them over me."

"Who said I had to choose?"

"I tried working with your pathetic little team. That didn't pan out, now did it?"

"Just because you didn't get along with my friends doesn't mean I'd stop talking to you because of it. Our little vacation is over, yeah, but I never said I'd just pretend nothing ever happened between us once I left."

Shadow winced as he felt a gloved hand rest on his shoulder.

"I...uh...you know, like you."

"Wow. How romantic."

"Hey, you're not the easiest person to say this to, ya know? One of us had to grow some balls and admit it so I figured it would be me. Anyway ahh…." The hero patted his thigh thoughtfully, looking around the room for a moment.

"So do you...want to stay the rest of the winter?"

"Are you insane?"

"Cmon! At least until Christmas!"

Red eyes narrowed.

"What...what is a _Christmas?_ "

"Are you serious? Oh no, see, now you _have_ to stay. You're missing out on so much shit sitting in a cave all day! And you know...maybe you could get to know my little bro a bit while you're here? I'd say he's the easiest to get along with in the group. At least for you."

Shadow wanted to object. He wanted to leave the village and go as far away as his legs would take him. It was too much. So much that it had to be a trap. And yet a part of him wanted to try these things, to stay with the blue hedgehog as long as possible and delve more into this arrangement and the strange new feelings that came along with it.

"I don't get it," he said softly.

"Why are you so insistent on doing this…?"

"Well, cuz that's what boyfriends do."

Again, this had to be a trap. Though he wanted to check just to be sure.

"B-boyfriends…and that means….?"

"That we're really close and only do sexy stuff with each other. I mean, unless you _wanna_ add--"

"Ah…you mean mates."

"Don't put it like that, it sounds weird." Sonic replied, sucking his teeth.

"But uh. You know, fooling around with you is fun but that's what I'm offerin'...if you're interested." He removed his hand from his rival's shoulder and stood up from the couch giving Shadow room to move around freely. Sonic had said everything he needed to say, and wouldn't force him to stay if he really didn't want to.

For a long time, Shadow remained silent, staring blankly out the window once again deep in thought. The hero was anxious to hear his reply but waited patiently while the dark hedgehog took his time.

"I..."

"..."

"..would like to try..."

"Oh?"

"...because I...like you too."

"Heheh…" Sonic chuckled and rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"That's um, that's good."

"Is that not what you wanted to hear?"

"No, it's... _exactly_ what I wanted to hear." He replied, breathless.

"I just never thought you'd actually say it. But I'm glad you did."

"...I see."

Shadow watched his partner's body language quietly and noticed Sonic seemed to be having trouble deciding what to do next after that confession. He pulled back the cocoon of blankets and patted on the couch next to him.

"You should get in."

"That sounds-- oh, wait a sec." The blue hedgehog disappeared behind the kitchen counter and appeared again with two cups in his hands. He offered one of them to Shadow, eyeing him expectantly.

"Here, try this." 

"What is it?" The cup was filled with a steaming brown liquid. Rich, robust scents tickled at his nose as Shadow sniffed the drink. Whatever it was, it didn't smell unpleasant…

"It's hot chocolate. Tails and I keep some brewing all the time during the winter." Sonic said as he squeezed himself into the blankets while balancing his cup.

"Figured it would warm you up and make this moment a little more cozy. Give it a try."

Reluctantly the dark hedgehog pressed the edge of the cup to his lips, giving its contents a few experimental licks. His eyes widened a fraction before tilting it back and taking a proper sip.

"So?"

"It's delicious." 

Sonic bit his lip, trying to hold back an amused grin.

"What? What is it?" Shadow asked, a hint of aggression in his voice. He noticed that his partner had not drank from his own cup yet.

"Did you do something to my drink?"

"No, no, that's not...haha...it's just you.." Sonic pressed a finger to his own lips.

"You've got a hot chocolate mustache."

"What? Oh."

"It's cool, I got it…" He leaned into Shadow's personal space, feeling him tense as he delicately licked the chocolate away from fawn, twitching lips. Unable to help himself Sonic planted a gentle kiss on them, eliciting a surprised gasp from his rival.

"There. All done.~"

"No. Now I want to kiss you." Shadow demanded softly.

"Not until you finish your drink. Don't want that good stuff goin' to waste, ya know? Besides, there's no rush. You can kiss me anytime."

The hero snorted as Shadow glared into his cup of hot chocolate. Something about his partner's pouty face made him warm inside and Sonic couldn't help but nuzzle into a fawn cheek lovingly.

"This is nice." 

Shadow nodded, swirling around the remnants of his unfinished drink. He was starting to feel a little drowsy and reached over the blue hedgehog to set the cup on the floor. Sonic seemed to be just as tired as he was and put his cup down as well, curling up and pulling the blankets over himself.

Catching the hint Shadow followed his lead and wrapped his arms around him, assuming their natural position as Sonic buried his face into his chest fur. Falling asleep in an unfamiliar place wasn't something he could do very easily, but having his rival here made it feel almost like home. 

"You still smell pretty bad by the way." Sonic said scrunching his nose.

"Are you telling me I need a shower?"

"Yeah but that can wait. We still have a lot of stuff I wanna do later."

"Like?"

" _You.~_ But only if you're good, obviously." He pulled away from the dark hedgehog and turned on his back, facing the ceiling.

"Ah, I almost forgot, we can play some games later if you're interested. Tails got me this new system...Oh, and I got something planned for Christmas. New Years too maybe-- Not to brag but I've just been making a list of cool shit we can do during the winter. Oh and maybe if it's still cold you can stay till February..."

Shadow chuckled and placed a kiss on his partner's forehead.

Perhaps staying a little longer wasn't such a bad idea after all.

**Author's Note:**

> Hmu on Twitter~  
> [Twitter; Magicstorm101](https://mobile.twitter.com/magicstorm101)
> 
> [JoinA Sonadow Discord?](https://discord.gg/UNnYWxv54G)


End file.
